This is alarming news for the over 100 million women who use tampons during their menstrual cycle:
Toxic metals have been found in tampons.
Tampons have generally been considered safe and healthy products. Granted, women who use tampons may be at higher risk for toxic shock syndrome if they are used incorrectly or left in for too long. But, in a recent study, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, analyzed 30 tampons from 14 different brands purchased from stores in New York, Athens, and London and two online retailers between September 2022 and March 2023.
They found “measurable concentrations” of all 16 metals they were testing for, including toxic ones such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium, in at least one sample. Lead, for which there is no “safe” level of exposure, was found in every sample, according to the study.
Although the study does not disclose the brands they tested, they included major and own-brand products, with a small number of organic ones. Each tampon was tested twice to create 60 samples.
Harmful metals found that exist in the soil will often grow into all kinds of products. Heavy metals can enter tampons through various means including through the cotton used in them. The cotton plant can absorb contaminated water, air, or soil… but it’s also possible that manufacturers may intentionally add them as a pigment, the authors say.
As many as 86% of menstrual-age women in the US use tampons every month. While the authors cautioned this could lead to absorption of these harmful substances through their vaginas, they also emphasized the need for further studies to determine whether these metals can actually leach out of tampons and become bioaccessible.
Shocking… But don’t panic yet.
Dr. Andrea Love, a microbiologist and immunologist, is pushing back as she highlighted the study’s limitations online, stating, “If they didn’t determine what would realistically leach out of tampons during real-world use, they certainly can’t make any statements related to potential absorption of those compounds.”
She also claimed that the sample size was “not robust” and “does not represent the millions of tampons on the market.” Dr. Love did say, however, that, “Ideally, we want no arsenic, cadmium, or lead, but the reality is that they’re in the soil and will ultimately creep into all kinds of products. This is one reason we need regulation: so people can understand their cumulative risks.”
Jenni Shearston, the study’s lead author, said, “Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons…To our knowledge, this is the first paper to measure metals in tampons.”
She goes on to say, “I really hope that manufacturers are required to test their products for metals, especially for toxic metals. It would be exciting to see the public call for this, or to ask for better labeling on tampons and other menstrual products.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in a statement to NPR that it is reviewing the recent study. The statement mentioned that while the study indicated the presence of certain metals in the tested tampons, it did not evaluate whether these metals were released from the tampons when used. Furthermore, it did not address whether any released metal can be absorbed into the vaginal lining or the bloodstream. The FDA intends to closely evaluate the study and take “any action warranted” to ensure the health and safety of consumers who use these products.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355?via%3Dihub
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355384
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/arsenic#
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/cadmium/Clinical-Assessment.html
https://www.immunologic.org/mediaquotes/a-new-study-found-toxic-metals-in-tampons-but-the-truth-is-more-complicated
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/11/nx-s1-5036484/tampons-heavy-metals-study