Popular Antibacterial Ingredient Has Been Linked to Cancer

The chemical triclosan began to appear in a multitude of products in the early 1970s. From soaps and toothpastes to cleaning supplies and pesticides, this chemical was reportedly an effective antibacterial and anti-fungal compound. After it started to appear in household products, the FDA began to investigate the chemical's safety profile. However, it wasn't until 2016 that it established a final, clear regulation. 

It was at this time that the FDA had effectively banned triclosan and 18 other compounds from consumer antiseptic wash products such as hand soap. However, the regulation was limited as it still allowed the chemical to be used in hand wipes or sanitizers and toothpastes. However, Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said, "Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water." 

 

Over the years, a growing body of evidence has come to suggest that triclosan is harmful to humans and to the environment. Initial studies pointed to concerns over the chemical acting as an endocrine disrupter in humans and also increasing the prominence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

However, the direct effect that the chemical has on human health has been controversially debated. According to a review by the government of Canada, it was recently concluded that when used in low concentrations triclosan is not harmful to human health. This includes the current levels found in cosmetics, shampoos, and toothpaste. The Canadian review does note, however, that the chemical can pose a hazard to the environment, and it has been seen to be very toxic and disruptive when found in river ecosystems. In fact, it has been noted as one of the top 10 pollutants found in rivers in the United States. 

Even more concerning is the result of a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which found traces of triclosan in 75% of urine samples from participants in the United States. 

 

In a new study which was led by a team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it set out to explore if triclosan had any relationship with gut inflammation, which has been reported to be an increasingly diagnosed problem. The study fed mice amounts of the chemical relative to concentrations that have been identified in human blood samples. After three weeks of administration in healthy mice, a low-grade of colonic inflammation was identified. 

 

The study then administered the same regime to mice that were genetically engineered to develop inflammatory bowel disease. But after three weeks, the development of symptoms relating to irritable bowel syndrome had significantly accelerated, as did the development of colitis-associated colon cancer cell growth. It was noted that one group of mice, in particular, displayed significantly reduced lifespan. 

Researchers hypothesized that triclosan could be affecting the gut microbiome which could be the fundamental mechanism resulting in inflammatory effects. In order to look deeper into this mechanism, the study subsequently found that when fed to germ-free mice (those with no gut microbiome), they found that the harmful effects of triclosan disappeared. Furthermore, they discovered that triclosan did indeed lower the diversity of an animal's gut flora. 

 

It's worth noting that this study is only demonstrated in a small mouse cohort and so far, it has not been validated in humans. But researchers do suggest the results indicate that the effects of this chemical on human health do indeed need urgent and close inspection. 

Haixia Yang says "Little is known about the impact of this chemical on human health or other species. Our study indicates there is an urgent need to further evaluate the impact of triclosan exposure and update the potential regulatory policies." 

 

For now, it seems that regulators may be dragging their heels on working out whether this chemical is harmful or not. But, in a statement released last year and co-signed by over 200 scientists and medical professionals suggests that we should probably just avoid it altogether. Within the Florida Statement report, it was found that despite the lack of definitive evidence of its harmful effects, there is no conclusive evidence of its efficacy as an anti-microbial agent.

Barbara Sattler, an environmental health professor at the University of San Francisco says "People think antimicrobial hand soaps offer better protection against illness, but generally, antimicrobial soaps perform no better than plain soap and water." Furthermore, an earlier study conducted at the University of Massachusetts Amherst team found that the chemical can build up to concerning levels of toxicity in the bristles of a toothbrush. What's worse, when a non-triclosan containing toothpaste was applied to the brush, the accumulated triclosan could be released in potentially harmful amounts. 

 

Ultimately, this all leads to a scenario where we have a chemical compound in a variety of household products that is, at best, relatively ineffective, and at worst, cancer-causing and toxic to the environment. Still, further work needs to be done to establish, for certain, whether there is an inflammatory connection in humans. However, at this point, triclosan can be easily avoided by simply paying attention to the ingredient list of purchased products. 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Here’s how you can go toxin-free

Gone are the times when mindless and unconscious purchase decisions were taken. As far as our memory goes, humans can point out countless activities that have caused harm to their and the planet’s health. Everything that urges and ensures the betterment of the planet and upcycling of the human lifestyle is marked as a revolution and one such revolution that is bringing about major changes is the concept of ‘Clean Beauty’.

Consumers have been restlessly shopping for cosmetics and beauty products without paying attention to the ingredients, and regardless of what could their long-term usage led to. It has become important for everyone to learn that the everyday essentials that they pick up without giving a conscious thought are loaded with toxins and harmful chemicals that are potential of causing mild to severe skin and health ailments; and some even life-threatening.

Clean beauty is a concept of using products that are made with only safe and non-toxic ingredients. It’s time we stop lathering our skin with harmful chemicals and switch to safer and equally effective alternatives. Here are some harmful inclusions that everyone must avoid:

Lead – Used as a pigment in the lipsticks and to enhance its colour texture. Regular use of lipsticks containing lead can cause discolouration of lips, making them look darker and dry.

Aluminium – Used as a pigment and thickener, which when absorbed in the bloodstream, causes hormonal disruptions due to its ability to mimic oestrogen. Aluminium is found in almost all personal care products, especially in lipsticks and deodorants.

Parabens – Used as a preservative in almost all skincare and beauty products, this ingredient has been linked with cancer.

Triclosan – It works as an antibacterial agent that prevents fungus and bacterial growth in skincare products like shampoos. This ingredient may disrupt thyroid function and can degrade into dioxin form which, when absorbed into the body, can cause cancer of various kinds.

Synthetic fragrances – Synthetic perfumes/fragrances are not a safe ingredient to be used and it is evidently present in most personal care products.

Sodium lauryl sulfate & its derivatives – Used to form foam, bubbles, and lather. SLS is found in around 95% of personal care products such as shampoo, body wash, face cleansers, etc.

Siloxanes – Ingredients ending with methicone, siloxane, etc., not only clog your pores and cause severe acne but are also potential reproductive disruptors. Not only to humans, but this ingredient is also harmful to wildlife.

Clean beauty products are not just safe and equally effective but they also deliver long-lasting results and do not make the human body dependent, unlike the chemical counterparts. These products are made with gentle and result-driven ingredients that solve the majority of skin and hair problems.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Early exposure to chmeicals in toothpaste, make-up advances girls’ puberty

Girls exposed to chemicals commonly found in toothpaste, makeup, soap and other personal care products before birth may hit puberty at an early age, finds a new study.

The study found that in-vitro exposure to chemicals in personal care products such as phthalates — found in scented products like perfumes, soaps and shampoos — parabens — used as preservatives in cosmetics — and phenols — which include triclosan — advances pubertal age in girls.

Early puberty in girls have been linked with increased risk of mental illness, breast and ovarian cancer; and testicular cancer in boys.

However, the association was not observed in boys.

“We know that some of the things we put on our bodies are getting into our bodies, either because they pass through the skin or we breathe them in or we inadvertently ingest them,” said a Prof.

“We wanted to know what effect exposure to these chemicals has during certain critical windows of development, which include before birth and during puberty,” the Prof. added.

For the study,  the team included 338 children — 159 boys and 179 girls.

The findings showed that more than 90 per cent of urine samples of both mothers and children showed detectable concentrations of phthalates, parabens and phenols.

However, there was an exception of triclosan which was present in approximately 70 per cent of the samples.

Every time the concentrations of diethyl phthalate and triclosan in the mother’s urine doubled, pubertal development in girls advanced approximately by one month.

In addition, girls who had higher concentrations of parabens in their urine at age nine also experienced puberty at younger ages.

However, it is unclear if the chemicals were causing the shift, or if girls who reached puberty earlier were more likely to start using personal care products at younger ages, the researchers noted, adding the need for more studies.
  
THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

The Connection Between Triclosan and Gut Infections

In the 1970s, a new chemical appeared in many different products that we use every day, such as toothpastes, soaps, and detergents. This chemical is called triclosan and has antibacterial and antifungal effects. For years, the experts investigated this miracle material that suddenly appeared in a variety of products and tested the safety of its use, and it was only in 2016 that clear legislation was introduced that forbade its presence in soaps. However, it still exists in many of the products we use, such as toothpastes and wet wipes, and it is important that you recognize it and the danger it poses to your health.

What have scientists thought of triclosan till today?

"Consumers think that antibacterial agents are more effective than others in eliminating bacteria, but there is no scientific evidence that they are more effective than soap and water," says a researcher. The experts has made it clear that triclosan, along with 18 other compounds, should not be used in antiseptic products such as hand soap, but the administration's legislation was limited, and the chemical is still used to make toothpastes, wet wipes, and disinfectants. 

Over the years, an increasing number of studies have shown that triclosan is harmful to humans and the environment, while the first ones have shown that there is a reason to worry that the chemical acts as an endocrine disruptor – interfering with the physiological functioning of the hormones. In addition, the use of triclosan over time increases the ability of bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics. 

The direct effect of triclosan on human health is widely debated, and according to a review of studies, the conclusion reached by experts is that the use of low-volume chemicals isn’t harmful to human health; This includes the amount used to produce cosmetics, shampoos, and toothpastes. However, the  government has made it clear that the chemical is indeed harmful to the environment; In fact, it is one of the 10 most common pollutants in rivers in North America.

What do scientists have to say about triclosan today?

Researchers decided to examine the effects of triclosan, and specifically whether it is related to intestinal infections - a problem that has emerged more since they began using the chemical. In the study, they examined the response of mice to a low amount of triclosan, which could be traced in the blood; After 3 weeks of testing previously healthy mice, symptoms of chronic GI infections began to appear. 

The study was conducted again in the same way, but this time on mice genetically engineered to develop inflammatory bowel disease. The symptoms of inflammation of the mice developed faster this time, and some also developed ulcerative colitis - a disease that increases the chances of cancer. The same group of mice that developed ulcerative colitis also had a shorter life expectancy than other mice. 

Researchers believe that triclosan affects the intestinal microbial community in a way that can be significant to the formation of inflammatory effects. To investigate this mechanism further, the researchers conducted the study again, but this time with mice that had no intestinal microbial community. Indeed, there was no adverse effect on the intestines of these mice. 

It is important to emphasize that all these studies have not yet been conducted on humans, but researchers believe that the same results will also appear among them. "We know very little about the effect of triclosan on the human body, and our research indicates that the effects of its use and exposure should be examined and the legality of its use, updated," says one of the researchers.

What does all this mean for us?

A previous study found that triclosan tends to be stored in toothbrush fibers, and even if you switch to a toothpaste that doesn’t contain the chemical, the triclosan left on the brush is released directly into the mouth in dangerous amounts. Therefore, you may also want to replace your toothbrush. It is still unclear whether there is a link between triclosan and intestinal infections in humans, but it is certainly worth making this small change.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                        FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com 

Popular Antibacterial Ingredient Has Been Linked to Cancer

The chemical triclosan began to appear in a multitude of products in the early 1970s. From soaps and toothpastes to cleaning supplies and pesticides, this chemical was reportedly an effective antibacterial and anti-fungal compound. After it started to appear in household products, the FDA began to investigate the chemical's safety profile. However, it wasn't until 2016 that it established a final, clear regulation. 

 

It was at this time that the FDA had effectively banned triclosan and 18 other compounds from consumer antiseptic wash products such as hand soap. However, the regulation was limited as it still allowed the chemical to be used in hand wipes or sanitizers and toothpastes. However,a researcher said, "Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water."
Over the years, a growing body of evidence has come to suggest that triclosan is harmful to humans and to the environment. Initial studies pointed to concerns over the chemical acting as an endocrine disrupter in humans and also increasing the prominence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
However, the direct effect that the chemical has on human health has been controversially debated. According to a review, it was recently concluded that when used in low concentrations triclosan is not harmful to human health. This includes the current levels found in cosmetics, shampoos, and toothpaste. The review does note, however, that the chemical can pose a hazard to the environment, and it has been seen to be very toxic and disruptive when found in river ecosystems. In fact, it has been noted as one of the top 10 pollutants found in rivers in some countries.  Even more concerning is the result of a survey which found traces of triclosan in 75% of urine samples from participants in a country. 
In a new study, it set out to explore if triclosan had any relationship with gut inflammation, which has been reported to be an increasingly diagnosed problem. The study fed mice amounts of the chemical relative to concentrations that have been identified in human blood samples. After three weeks of administration in healthy mice, a low-grade of colonic inflammation was identified. 
The study then administered the same regime to mice that were genetically engineered to develop inflammatory bowel disease. But after three weeks, the development of symptoms relating to irritable bowel syndrome had significantly accelerated, as did the development of colitis-associated colon cancer cell growth. It was noted that one group of mice, in particular, displayed significantly reduced lifespan. 

Researchers hypothesized that triclosan could be affecting the gut microbiome which could be the fundamental mechanism resulting in inflammatory effects. In order to look deeper into this mechanism, the study subsequently found that when fed to germ-free mice (those with no gut microbiome), they found that the harmful effects of triclosan disappeared. Furthermore, they discovered that triclosan did indeed lower the diversity of an animal's gut flora. 
It's worth noting that this study is only demonstrated in a small mouse cohort and so far, it has not been validated in humans. But researchers do suggest the results indicate that the effects of this chemical on human health do indeed need urgent and close inspection. 
A scientist says "Little is known about the impact of this chemical on human health or other species. Our study indicates there is an urgent need to further evaluate the impact of triclosan exposure and update the potential regulatory policies."  

For now, it seems that regulators may be dragging their heels on working out whether this chemical is harmful or not. But, in a statement released last year and co-signed by over 200 scientists and medical professionals suggests that we should probably just avoid it altogether. Within a report, it was found that despite the lack of definitive evidence of its harmful effects, there is no conclusive evidence of its efficacy as an anti-microbial agent. 
An environmental health professor says "People think antimicrobial hand soaps offer better protection against illness, but generally, antimicrobial soaps perform no better than plain soap and water." Furthermore, an earlier study by a team found that the chemical can build up to concerning levels of toxicity in the bristles of a toothbrush. What's worse, when a non-triclosan containing toothpaste was applied to the brush, the accumulated triclosan could be released in potentially harmful amounts. 
Ultimately, this all leads to a scenario where we have a chemical compound in a variety of household products that is, at best, relatively ineffective, and at worst, cancer-causing and toxic to the environment. Still, further work needs to be done to establish, for certain, whether there is an inflammatory connection in humans. However, at this point, triclosan can be easily avoided by simply paying attention to the ingredient list of purchased products. 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                             PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   

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Toothpaste ingredient could fight malaria

Research carried out in part by an artificially-intelligent (AI)’robot scientist’ has found that a common ingredient of toothpaste could be developed to fight drug-resistant strains of malaria.

In a study, scientists who used the AI robot to conduct high-throughput screening said the ingredient, triclosan, showed the potential to interrupt malaria infections at two critical stages - in the liver and the blood.

Malaria kills around half a million people every year, the vast majority of them children in the poorest parts of Africa. The disease can be treated with a number of drugs, but resistance to these medicines is increasing, raising the risk that some strains may become untreatable in the future.

Because of this, the search for new medicines was becoming increasingly urgent, said a scientist.

After being transferred into a new host via a mosquito bite, malaria parasites work their way into the liver, where they mature and reproduce. They then move into red blood cells, multiply and spread around the body, causing fever and potentially life-threatening complications.
 
Scientists have known for some time that triclosan can halt malaria parasites’ growth at the blood stage of the infection by inhibiting the action of an enzyme known as enoyl reductase (ENR), which is involved in production of fatty acids.

In toothpaste, this helps prevent a build-up of plaque bacteria. 

In this latest work, however, the team found that triclosan also inhibits an entirely different enzyme of the malaria parasite, called DHFR.

DHFR is the target of the antimalarial pyrimethamine - a drug to which malaria parasites are increasingly developing resistance, particularly in Africa. The team’s work showed that triclosan was able to target and act on this enzyme even in pyrimethamine-resistant parasites.

“The discovery by our robot colleague that triclosan is effective against malaria targets offers hope that we may be able to use it to develop a new drug,” said the scientist who co-led the work. “We know it is a safe compound, and its ability to target two points in the malaria parasite’s lifecycle means the parasite will find it difficult to evolve resistance.”

The AI robot scientist used in the study - nicknamed Eve - was designed to automate and speed up the drug discovery process.

It does this by automatically developing and testing hypotheses to explain observations, running experiments using laboratory robotics, interpreting the results, altering the hypotheses, and then repeating the cycle.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.    

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HOW ANTI-BACTERIAL PRODUCTS' HARM

CONTAIN- triclosan

concern- animal studies have shown that the chemical can disrupt sex & thyroid hormones essential for normal development & reproduction. They may also cause resistance to anti-biotics.

Remedy- stick to plain soap & water to clean hands. They kill just as many germs & are more eco-friendly.