Toxic Tampons What Can We Do
If you didn’t see the breaking news, a recent study has discovered toxic metals, including arsenic and lead, in tampons. Researchers at UC Berkeley analyzed 30 tampons from 14 brands and found all samples contained these harmful metals. This finding raises significant health concerns as these contaminants can adversely affect the liver, kidneys, brain, and other body systems.
Interestingly, the study noted differences based on the tampon type and origin. Non-organic tampons had higher lead levels, while organic ones had more arsenic. The presence of these metals likely stems from contaminated materials used in manufacturing or chemicals added during production.
This is the first comprehensive study to address this issue, and it underscores the need for stricter testing and labeling of menstrual products. Researchers are urging for further investigations to determine the extent of metal absorption and the presence of other harmful chemicals in tampons.
So what can we do?
1.) Personally I still feel more comfortable going for smaller, organic brands of tampons and pads. (I’m going to be keeping a list below of the brands I’ve found to be safe vs unsafe and what I currently use.)
2.) Use pads as often as possible - I know it’s not always an option depending on your activities, outfit etc. but I urge you to try to make the switch. It’s especially important to wear pads instead of a tampon to sleep!
3.) Keep on top of the studies and research. All too often issues around women’s health are swept under the rug and forgotten about. I encourage you to keep this topic top of mind and in your conversations and buying decisions until changes are made.
PROVEN TOXIC
Note this list is not complete - I’ll update as we get more information.
TAMPAX
COTEX
PLAYTEX
Above all and as always, stay informed but don’t panic. Stress and anxiety won’t help our wellbeing in any way and for the times or years that we used products that might not be the safest, there’s no point in looking back, it’s best to look forward and try to choose safely in the future!
Sending love,
Isabelle