(Nation of News) — According to recent research, tampons may expose users to 16 metals, some of which are hazardous.
The study, which was published in Environmental International, examined the quantities of 16 metalloids in 30 tampons from 14 different brands and discovered “measurable concentrations” of every metal that was evaluated.
The widely available tampon brands were bought online and from Greece and the UK through major U.S. retail chains.
“Our study clearly shows that metals are also present in menstrual products and that women might be at higher risk for exposure using these products, even though toxic metals are ubiquitous and we are exposed to low levels at any given time,” said Kathrin Schilling, a co-author of the study.
The biology of the vagina is different from other areas of the body in that it has more “permeable” skin, which makes the study’s findings especially alarming. Additionally, the researchers noted that substances taken vaginally “directly enter systemic circulation” rather than going through first-pass metabolism and detoxification via the liver.
Tampons are used by 50–80% of menstruating women; nonetheless, the study notes that the metals mentioned above “may be absorbed by the vagina’s highly absorptive tissue, resulting in systemic exposure.”
The study’s lead author, Jenni A. Shearston, stated in a statement that “very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons, despite this large potential for public health concern.” This is the first paper that measures metals in tampons, as far as we know. We discovered quantities of every metal we looked for, including hazardous metals like lead and arsenic, which is concerning.
No matter where the tampons came from or how they were categorized, neither the USA nor the UK tampons, nor organic nor non-organic tampons, had lower concentrations of metals in them, according to the study.