Triclosan hasn’t been a topic of conversation in most circles for YEARS.
This creepy chemical was supposed to be banished, banned, and gone from our lives. And most of us thought it was.
But that’s not how it’s worked out. This dangerous toxin that nearly everyone agrees doesn’t belong inside the human body is not just still around. It turns out triclosan is carefully hidden where you least expect it.
You might even be getting a dose of it every day.
Now, the latest research reveals why it’s crucial to go out of your way to SPOT where this poison is hiding and ELIMINATE it once you find it.
So today, I’ve got the scoop on what triclosan is… where it’s STILL found… and how to avoid it.
“Banned” chemical still delivers a gut punch
I’m sure you remember triclosan. If you’re a long-time Healthier Talk subscriber, we regularly warned readers about this chemical a lot a decade or so ago.
Triclosan is best known as a germ-killer used in antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers. That is until it was banned a few years ago (a “ban” with a HUGE loophole – more on that in a moment).
But triclosan is also a potent toxin that can potentially disrupt hormones, help tumors form, damage thyroid function, weaken your immune response, damage aging bone, and more.
I raised a red flag about the “reemergence” (in fact, it didn’t go anywhere) of this creepy chemical and its link to osteoporosis back in 2019. Now, the latest research reveals another danger.
This stuff can hit you like a punch in the gut… and I mean that almost literally.
Experiments on mice found that triclosan alters certain enzymes and bacteria once inside the gut. This then sets the stage for out-of-control inflammation inside the digestive tract.
In turn, this can lead to damage inside the colon and could trigger inflammatory bowel diseases such as colitis.
The researchers were able to stop some of the damage they saw in the study using a microbiome-targeted inhibitor that blocked some of the effects of triclosan. But it’s not really a viable solution for the rest of us and could lead to unintended consequences out in the real world.
And, of course, the digestive damage is far from the only problem linked to triclosan.
Where TRICLOSAN is still hiding
If triclosan had ACTUALLY been banned, this study would be nothing more than a reminder. It would simply serve to highlight why we got rid of the stuff in the first place.
Unfortunately, that’s not the reality.
Triclosan was kicked out of sanitizers and soaps. That led to those big headlines a few years ago about it being banned. And it has fueled the mistaken belief ever since that it’s gone for good.
But it’s not. Because triclosan is still allowed in other products. In fact, the Environmental Working Group said it’s potentially in hundreds of everyday items, including – most outrageously – TOOTHPASTE.
Plus, triclosan could still be hiding in everything from clothing to cutting boards to shaving cream.
In other words, there’s no shortage of ways for triclosan to get into your body. So check out this guide from EWG to find out if any of the products you use most often in and around your home, especially your toothpaste, could contain the chemical. And toss them if they do to reduce your exposure.
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