Are common antibacterial soaps worth the risk? (Photo credit: CDC/Dawn Arlotta, Cade Martin)
For years I’ve been a strong supporter of natural soaps, sanitizers and other products that don’t contain antibacterial agents. Now the U.S. FDA and EPA are finally coming to the same conclusion.
The FDA announced recently that it will be looking into the safety concerns of Triclosan, an antibacterial agent commonly found in soaps, sanitizers, toys, clothing, home products and even toothpastes.
The dangers of Triclosan
Triclosan has already been banned or restricted in other countries, including the European Union. Now both the FDA and the EPA have concerns that these antibacterial ingredients cause much more harm than good. There is strong evidence that antibacterial agents lead to problems of bacterial resistance, upsetting the balance of ‘good’ skin bacteria, disrupting the body’s endocrine system, and weakening the body’s immunity to infection.
Are antibacterials even needed?
Studies show that antibacterial soaps are no more effective than soaps without antibacterial chemicals. So why use these products, given their potential negative side effects? The best and safest sanitizers and personal care products contain only natural ingredients.
Here’s a list of things to avoid in personal products:
* Any products with the word “antibacterial” on the label.
* The ingredients Triclosan, Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), Chloroxylenol (PCMX) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT).
* As a general rule of thumb, the longer the list of ingredients and the harder the ingredient names are to pronounce, the less natural the product probably is.
Natural soaps, shampoos and cleaning product provide all the touted benefits of antibacterial products without any of the downsides. Click the link to find out more on antibacterial soaps, effective cleaning, MRSA infection control and how to prevent MRSA.
I cover antibacterial agents like Triclosan to watch out for in my book, as well as everything you need to know about finding safe and effective natural cleaners. Healthier and more natural options are safe and easy to find, once you know what to look for.
To Your Health,
Michelle Moore
Microbiologist and Natural Health Expert
Author of MRSA Secrets Revealed
