The endocrine-disrupting pesticide ‘triclosan’, which is commonly used in toothpastes, body washes, deodorants, hand lotions and many other personal care and household products, has once again been linked in a scientific study to antibiotic resistance in humans. The solution? Read the ingredients labels on everything before tossing it into your cart and choose alternatives that are free of triclosan (also labeled as ‘antimicrobial’).
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Toothpaste and hand wash are causing antibiotic resistance
A common ingredient in toothpaste and hand wash could be contributing to antibiotic resistance, according to University of Queensland research.
A study led by Dr Jianhua Guo from UQ’s Advanced Water Management Centre focused on triclosan, a compound used in more than 2000 personal care products.
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“This discovery provides strong evidence that the triclosan found in personal care products that we use daily is accelerating the spread of antibiotic resistance.” -Dr. Jianhua Guo
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Advanced Water Management Centre Director, Professor Zhiguo Yuan, said the discovery should be a wake-up call to re-evaluate the potential impact of such chemicals…
Antimicrobial resistance has become a major threat to public health globally with approximately 700,000 people a year dying from antimicrobial-resistant infections.
The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance report predicted this will reach 10 million deaths a year by 2050 if no action is taken now.
Journal Reference: Ji Lu, Min Jin, Son Hoang Nguyen, Likai Mao, Jie Li, Lachlan J.M. Coin, Zhiguo Yuan, Jianhua Guo. Non-antibiotic antimicrobial triclosan induces multiple antibiotic resistance through genetic mutation. Environment International, 2018; 118: 257 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.06.004
Chemical Free Life 
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