[Geode]

A friend from another forum just shared this article about Triclosan (the antibacterial ingredient in soaps and other products) and muscle function. Thought it might be of interest to some of you here.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar...action/262234/

[southblues]

How can you avoid it? It is in all kinds of stuff. If it is causing decreasing muscle strength, I sure don't need it.

[cait24]

Very interesting article. I think I will switch back to the old fashion soap.

kathie

[Geode]

Originally Posted by southblues

How can you avoid it? It is in all kinds of stuff. If it is causing decreasing muscle strength, I sure don't need it.

The articles I read today indicate that this chemical is now inundating our environment, so complete avoidance is probably impossible.

Individual products like antibacterial soap and antigingivitis toothpaste will list Triclosan on the label if it's an ingredient. I've been brushing my teeth with Colgate Total, putting Triclosan in my mouth 2-3 times a day. I plan to revisit that strategy!

Here's a second article, I liked even better. The lead author of the study recommends an alcohol-based disinfectant hand wash in lieu of the Triclosan products.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/0...scle-function/

[alice md]

Unfortunately, tricolosan is probably only the edge of the iceberg.

There are thousands of chemicals which are put in our cosmetics, household products and even food, whose safety was never tested with the same strict criteria that the safety of medications is tested.

In many of them the safe levels were determined based on animal studies, in which the lethal dose was checked. There is no data regarding their effect on behavior, neurological, endocrine and reproductive functions or even risk of cancer with cumulative exposure to those seemingly safe levels.

Some of them ( those in which there is some concern regarding effect on the respiratory system or neurological toxicity) there is a recommendation to use them in restricted amounts. But, even if you restrict their concentration in a certain product, how do you control the exposure to other products containing the same substance? And why should we continue to expose ourselves and our off-springs to substances that are potentially neurotoxic just because they confuse our senses to think that they smell and look good?

Cosmetic and cleaning products can contain "fragnance" or "perfume".Under this innocent appearing name they can hide an enormous amount of chemicals which they do not have to disclose (unless those have been clearly proven to cause cancer).

The voice of environmental groups trying to fight this is a quite whisper in the chorus of loud voices of the various industries that make a lot of money from this. Every day a new "safe" substance is found to turn male frogs into females, have significant effects on our endocrine system and that of our children who were exposed in utero, is suspected in causing behavioral problems in children and the list goes on and on.

In our own household we can't totally avoid exposure to those substances, but we can at least minimize it as much as possible.
If we all do that, industry will realize that people don't buy their merchandise, they will hopefully pay more attention to what they put in what they are trying to sell. It might not smell and look as good, but it will definitely be healthier.

The fact that some cosmetics are at least trying to fool us to think that they are made of natural and organic substances, and the perfume industry is trying to set criteria for restricted or even prohibited chemicals, shows that possibly they are starting to take the first steps in the right direction.

The fact that those who try to fight this, are no longer seen as paranoid or making conspiracy theories. The fact that serious journalists write about it in leading papers gives some hope that this will eventually change.

[alice md]

A report: "neurotoxins at home and in the work-place" was submitted to the congress in September 1986. The submission letter asked that it will be laid before the committee for consideration at the earliest convenient time.

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/8368495...+Workplace.pdf

Seems like this time hasn't come yet...

I haven't read the entire report, but the parts I did were quite enlightening.

It discusses numerous issues, such as the lack of training of physicians to recognize signs of neurotoxic substances. (which is unfortunately still true) and their tendency to attribute those signs to emotional problems (which is still true). It discusses the lack of standard tests to assess neurotoxicity when it does not involve overt anatomical changes (in lab animals), It discusses the rapidly growing list of potentially neurotoxic substances (which also have the potential to affect the developing brain of the fetus).

"we are ignorant to the long term effects of potentially neurotoxic substances added to food, present in skin care products or used in the work-place"

They also discussed the tendency to test for cancer and mutagenesis, while compromising tests of neurotoxicity.

"What is intriguing is that it is percieved that the cancer risk is greater than the neurotoxic risk. Certainly the large majority of certain carcinogens have the potential to kill. But, I am not sure how that would rate against a neurotoxin that has the potential to cripple. I am not sure how to make this equation"

[southblues]

Dishwashing detergents don't even seem to have the ingredients listed. I use dial bar soap in the shower. It doesn't have triclosan, but it has a chemical with almost the same name. Triclocarban. If the name is so similar, I wonder about the chemical structure.

[PhotoBug50]

Originally Posted by alice md

Unfortunately, tricolosan is probably only the edge of the iceberg.

There are thousands of chemicals which are put in our cosmetics, household products and even food, whose safety was never tested with the same strict criteria that the safety of medications is tested.

In many of them the safe levels were determined based on animal studies, in which the lethal dose was checked. There is no data regarding their effect on behavior, neurological, endocrine and reproductive functions or even risk of cancer with cumulative exposure to those seemingly safe levels.

Some of them ( those in which there is some concern regarding effect on the respiratory system or neurological toxicity) there is a recommendation to use them in restricted amounts. But, even if you restrict their concentration in a certain product, how do you control the exposure to other products containing the same substance? And why should we continue to expose ourselves and our off-springs to substances that are potentially neurotoxic just because they confuse our senses to think that they smell and look good?

Cosmetic and cleaning products can contain "fragnance" or "perfume".Under this innocent appearing name they can hide an enormous amount of chemicals which they do not have to disclose (unless those have been clearly proven to cause cancer).

The voice of environmental groups trying to fight this is a quite whisper in the chorus of loud voices of the various industries that make a lot of money from this. Every day a new "safe" substance is found to turn male frogs into females, have significant effects on our endocrine system and that of our children who were exposed in utero, is suspected in causing behavioral problems in children and the list goes on and on.

In our own household we can't totally avoid exposure to those substances, but we can at least minimize it as much as possible.
If we all do that, industry will realize that people don't buy their merchandise, they will hopefully pay more attention to what they put in what they are trying to sell. It might not smell and look as good, but it will definitely be healthier.

The fact that some cosmetics are at least trying to fool us to think that they are made of natural and organic substances, and the perfume industry is trying to set criteria for restricted or even prohibited chemicals, shows that possibly they are starting to take the first steps in the right direction.

The fact that those who try to fight this, are no longer seen as paranoid or making conspiracy theories. The fact that serious journalists write about it in leading papers gives some hope that this will eventually change.

I am currently reading a book called The Autoimmune Epidemic by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, which was recommended to me by a kind fellow-member of this group. It can be a disturbing read in places, but I highly recommend it. It will help many of us unravel the "why and how" of our current situation. In fact, for me, it puts the last 60 years of human history in a completely different context. We have taken a wonderfully complex and beautifully designed machine (the human body) and in exchange for wealth, status and creature comforts are well on our way to wrecking it. Not just for individuals, but for our entire species. - Mark

[southblues]

Without all of the modern innovations that society has come up with such as cars and triclosan, the earth would probably be a cleaner, healthier place. On the other hand, all of us here would be dead. We would be weeded out by natural selection. We are the ones that are benefiting from modern things. It is one of those hard things to get your brain around.

[alice md]

Originally Posted by PhotoBug50

I am currently reading a book called The Autoimmune Epidemic by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, which was recommended to me by a kind fellow-member of this group. It can be a disturbing read in places, but I highly recommend it. It will help many of us unravel the "why and how" of our current situation. In fact, for me, it puts the last 60 years of human history in a completely different context. We have taken a wonderfully complex and beautifully designed machine (the human body) and in exchange for wealth, status and creature comforts are well on our way to wrecking it. Not just for individuals, but for our entire species. - Mark

I think it is not too late to change things.

We (the human species) did not do it out of malice but out of ignorance and arrogance. (thinking that we can do better than nature, because we understand it all).

It's much more than 60 years. It's in our nature to try and use what we find in nature for our benefit. From the days of the invention of the wheel and the use of fire.

We just took it too far, and it's time we realize we should stop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-vpDrqdps&feature=fvsr

It's up to us.