Is Antibacterial Soap Healthy or Harmful?

Not long ago I shared the idea called "the hygiene hypothesis". You see, one cause of environmental sensitivities that lead to allergies and auto-immune disorders may be a lack of childhood exposure to infectious agents, probiotics, and parasites.  Living in environments that are too clean (for example, spending a great deal of time indoors without pets) may leave a child's immune system uncalibrated and over-sensitive, resulting in a host of allergies and hypersensitive reactions to innocuous substances later on. 

In fact, a recent research article cited antimicrobial soaps as problematic, and actually destructive, to health.  One common antimicrobial agent, Triclosan, has been found in many bodily fluids, including the urine of pregnant women, and the cord blood of newborn infants.

The study, published in Environmental Science and Technology, studied 180 expectant mothers in Brooklyn, New York.  The researchers found triclosan in 100 percent of the women’s urine samples, and triclocarban (another common antimicrobial agent) in 87 percent of the samples.  Of the 33 cord blood samples they looked at, 46 percent contained triclosan and 23 percent contained triclocarban.

Triclosan and triclocarban, which are also common in toothpaste and lotions, are  endocrine disruptors.  The risk there is that the chemicals can mimic thyroid hormones, potentially disrupting the metabolism and causing weight gain or weight loss.  Previous research has also shown a connection between higher levels of triclosan in urine, and allergy diagnoses in children.

On a side note, a patient of mine, who works in the industrial plumbing industry, noted that his company is currently working on re-plumbing the vast majority of a major hospital.  He stated that many of the pipes are breaking down, and the mass breakdown is due to the pipes’ constant exposure to anti-bacterial hand soaps and cremes.  If those hand sanitizers can do that to plumbing, imagine the effect they may be having on you!

The thing about antibacterial soaps (containing triclosan and triclocarban), is that there’s little evidence they are any better at keeping people from getting sick than regular old soap, according to the Food and Drug Administration. In December of 2013, the FDA issued a proposed rule (for which public comment is now closed) that would require companies to show that their antimicrobial products are not only safe, but more effective than soap. If they can’t, they would have to remove the offending ingredients, or stop labeling the products “antibacterial.”

I think it’s sound advice to get back to the basics.  Let your kids get a little dirty every now and then!  And there’s nothing wrong with plain old-fashioned soap, when it comes to cleaning them up afterwards.  Your immune system can be your best friend…or worst enemy!