Beware! Triclosan in soap and toothpaste you use daily could be dangerous

Generally, in very low amounts, Triclosan may be well tolerated by humans, but its presence in products used on a daily basis poses a big risk to humans in the long term.

Sanagreddy: It’s time you check up whether the soap or toothpaste or deodorants you use contains Triclosan!

Most of the times, you may find this chemical ingredient, which is added in many consumer products to check growth of unwanted microorganisms which degrade the shelf life of the product. But research has now revealed that use of Triclosan, even 500 times lower than the permissible limit could cause neurotoxic effects on humans.

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This startling impact was found by researchers of Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad (IIT-H) and the finding of the research was recently published in a leading scientific journal Chemsphere of the United Kingdom.

The Associate Professor in Department of Biotechnology in IIT-H, Dr Anamika Bhargava who led the research team, explained Triclosan was added in many daily use products to increase the shelf life. Triclosan, is frequently added in consumer products in India and worldwide such as soap, toothpaste, deodorants and others. Now one can find Triclosan even in the kitchenware and clothes although its initial use in the 1960’s was restricted to medical care products.

Generally, in very low amounts, Triclosan may be well tolerated by humans, but its presence in products used on a daily basis poses a big risk to humans in the long term. Recently, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) reviewed the evidence against Triclosan and imposed a partial ban on its use. However, India lacks any such regulation so far on the use of Triclosan laced  products.

Dr Anamika Bhargava said a team of researchers investigated the effects of Triclosan on the nervous system of developing zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish is an animal equivalent of humans in immunity. The study revealed that Triclosan in a minute amount cannot only affect the genes and enzymes involved in neurotransmission, but it can also damage the neurons. This could affect the motor function of an organism.

The presence of Triclosan in human tissues and fluids may lead to neurobehavioral alterations in humans, which may be further linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative disorders of unknown origin appear to be on the rise and affect millions of people across the world. A suspected contributor for this is the complex interaction between genetic and environmental stressors. One such stressor could be Triclosan.

The study suggested caution in the use of Triclosan based products and perhaps it’s time that Triclosan use in India is banned or restricted.

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