The thing that stuck out the most (at least with personal care products) was a chemical called triclosan. That shit was in everything: my deodorant, my toothpaste, my soap and after a little research I found out that it is also apparently in my socks. So what is it?
Well the FDA website provides a good little snippet that gives a useful description:
"Triclosan is an ingredient added to many consumer products to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. It may be found in products such as clothing, kitchenware, furniture, and toys. It also may be added to antibacterial soaps and body washes, toothpastes, and some cosmetics—products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration"
So it does seem to serve a useful purpose. The stuff is intended to prevent contamination by foreign bacteria. However, the FDA's page for the chemical does go on to say that, although there is not enough evidence to claim out right that the stuff is harmful to human beings, it is known to alter hormone regulation in some animals. The FDA is quick to point out the fact that effects in other animals are not always transitive to humans. But here is the scary part:
"studies in bacteria have raised the possibility that triclosan contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics"
The FDA website also points out that, apart from triclosan's inclusion in toothpaste (which has clear evidence of health benefits), there is no evidence to suggest any other kinds of consumer benefits (even though it is in a giant number of other products).
So apart from its inclusion in toothpaste, there aren't any real benefits to having this stuff around. Also, although there isn't enough evidence to say whether or not we should try to avoid the stuff completely, the chemical has raised some eyebrows at the FDA which seems to me to be a good enough reason as any to, at the very least, ere on the side of caution.
So what are some alternatives?
Ikea sells ONLY triclosan-free products.
Natural soaps made from lye can be purchased online or at places like Whole foods. Cracker Barrel sells lye soap for some reason so, you know... next time you are in Arizona you can pick some up. Additionally, Ivory brand soaps do not contain triclosan.
Another chemical that I found to be very common in soap was something called glycerol. The stuff is also EVERYWHERE in food (marshmallows, dairy products, beer, sports drinks, mustard, etc.). It turns out that glycerol is what gives liquid soap it's viscosity. Additionally, the stuff smells nice. I could not find any sources that pointed to it being harmful in any particular way, with most of what I had read passing it off as harmless. The only known harm that the substance causes is the occasional hypersensitivity to the stuff which usually only produces mild to moderate symptoms. Glycerol is also a byproduct of biodiesel.
Sources:
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