Using Antibacterial Soap May Disrupt Your Hormones
 
 
 Triclosan, a chemical used in antibacterial soaps and toothpastes, has been shown to hasten the transformation of tadpoles into adult frogs.

This means that triclosan can act as an endocrine disrupter, upsetting the delicate hormone balance of animals. Triclosan has already been shown to bioaccumulate in fish and contaminate human breast milk.

The effects of triclosan on the tadpoles included significant weight loss and accelerated hind-limb development. There was also elevated activity of genes linked with uncontrolled cell growth, and decreased gene activity in the tail fin.

Triclosan alone does not cause the effect, but only triclosan in the presence of thyroid hormones. This suggests that triclosan makes thyroid hormones much more potent, and speeds up their impact.

Triclosan may be making protein receptors in the cell more sensitive to thyroid hormones.

Thyroid-hormone signaling is essential for the development of the human brain and body, so these findings could have an impact on human health. 

Science News –October 24, 2006; Germ fighter works as endocrine disrupter;  [http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/oct/science/jp_triclosan.html]  
    Aquatic Toxicology [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T4G-4M0S2Y9-1&_coverDate=09%2F29%2F2006&_alid=486996859&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=4974&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=f2b4b16c7d02feeaa64ad3d81b46c350]

It doesn't take much triclosan (0.15 parts per billion) to disrupt a hormone signaling system in frogs -- a system that mirrors the one found in humans. That's just one more reason why you should use plain soap and water to keep your hands clean, and stay away from antibacterial soaps.

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"All soaps sold on the market today contain harmful chemicals and I've stopped using all of them.  The only 'pure' soap is plain old Borax.  I make a liquid soap out of it and use it in the shower as well as washing my hands, etc...  It has natural antibacterial qualities and it leaves my skin feeling nice and soft.

As a hand sanitizer, I use plain old grain alcohol (e.g. Everclear or any brand of vodka) in a 50% solution mixed with water.  I'm not fanatical about it as I believe a little bacteria helps to strengthen our immune systems.  When I was a kid, we played in the dirt and there was no antibacterial soap back then, and amazingly, we survived.  Go figure!" -- Roseann, Califon NJ

"I agree that most soaps in the market are full of chemicals which are not good for health. We use besan (chick pea flour) along with turmeric and either cream or lemon drops mixture as soap for having baths. The flour has cleansing properties and turmeric has antibacterial ones (I suppose)."  Reader from Sunnyvale, California

"I use pure coconut oil as a makeup remover and pure glycerin soap for hand washing and bathing.  The triclosan in so many products is probably contributing to the huge numbers of adults and children now having gastrointestinal disease, as the triclosan and the chlorine found in much of our water supplies are wreaking havoc upon our health. Consumers are mistakenly trying to prevent illness and are actually contributing to it unintentionally."

"Brand name cosmetics concerning Skin-care, Toothpastes, Soaps, Detergents, Shampoos, etc. are regularly produced with chemicals that have been heavily researched and found to be cancer causing! They also harm the skin by destroying its natural pH. Scrutinize every product label very carefully and don't buy products with the following chemicals contained in them.

"Propylene Glycol -- main ingredient in anti-freeze and used in hydraulic fluids.

"Diethanolamine (DEA) -- used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams and other cosmetics.

"Sodium Lauryl Sulfate -- used in shampoos, soaps, detergents, and toothpastes and other products that we expect to 'foam-up.'

"Hexachlorophene -- used in soaps, deodorants, and cosmetics.

"Parabens -- used primarily in skin-care products. Recent evidence indicates that topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors. This is of great concern as parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can encourage the growth of human breast tumors." -- Dr. Matthew Loop, Lilburn, GA

 
 
 
Related Articles:     [http://www.mercola.com/2006/dec/2/using-antibacterial-soap-may-disrupt-your-hormones.htm]
 
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