Triclosan in soap, shampoo, toothpaste can cause cancer and cirrhosis?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was written by doctors of Internal Oncology - Radiation Oncology Center, Vinmec Times City International Hospital
Washing hands or washing hair are everyday tasks that are not on the list that can be harmful to health. But a new study in mice by the team's team shows that long-term exposure to an antibacterial substance commonly found in hand soaps, shampoos and other personal hygiene products - triclosan - can cause cancer. cancer and cirrhosis.

What is Triclosan? Is triclosan harmful to health?

Triclosan is a substance added to consumer products to slow or prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi or mold. Like shampoo and hand soap, it can be found in toothpaste, deodorant, and some other cosmetics. Triclosan is also used as a preservative material in shoes, clothing, and some household products.
Previous studies have shown that triclosan can be harmful to health. Triclosan can break down proteins that clean up foreign chemicals introduced into the body. Some studies have confirmed the substance to be a promoter of bacterial resistance, while other studies have shown it to alter hormone regulation in rats.
The team exposed a group of mice to triclosan for 6 months - the equivalent of 18 years in humans - and compared their health to that of a group of mice not exposed to the substance.
The results of the analysis showed that the mice exposed to triclosan had significantly worse health and liver function than those not exposed. Furthermore, exposed mice were more susceptible to developing liver tumors, and their tumors were often larger than those of unexposed mice.

Researchers believe that triclosan produces these effects in mice by disrupting the function of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) - a protein that helps clear foreign chemicals from the body. This protein is also present in humans.
Disruption to CAR causes proliferation of liver cells, leading to fibrosis - the growth of excess tissue. If this process is repeated - triggered by long-term triclosan exposure - it can lead to tumor growth.
Although animal studies require higher chemical concentrations than predicted human exposure, this study demonstrates that triclosan acts as both a hepatocellular tumor promoter and a mechanism of liver pathology. in mice because triclosan may be similar to humans
The team pointed out that exposure to triclosan is very high in humans, noting that previous research had identified traces of the agent in 97% of breast milk samples from lactating women and 75% of urine samples
University of California professor Hammock says triclosan is harmful to human health, however, individuals may need to be exposed to high levels of triclosan over long periods of time. . Therefore, he suggests that human exposure to the agent could be reduced by limiting the use of large doses of triclosan, but with little benefit, such as use of hand soap. .
However, he notes that triclosan has also been shown to have health benefits in some cases. For example, studies have shown that toothpaste containing small amounts of this substance is effective at preventing gingivitis. Professor Hammock said it might be a good idea to stay on triclosan in this case, as low levels of exposure are unlikely to cause harm.
Last year, Medical News Today reported on a proposed rule from the US Food and Drug Administration that requires manufacturers of antibacterial soaps and body washes to demonstrate that their products are safe. all for long-term use.

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Source: Newtoday