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« Antibacterial: Not just for soap anymore | Main | Mixed Greens 014: Not the answer »
July 17, 2008
Cheatsheet: Triclosan
What is triclosan?
Triclosan is an antibacterial chemical found in many consumer products. It’s nearly ubiquitous in liquid hand soap and dishwashing detergent, but those aren’t the only products it’s in. Triclosan is also a common ingredient in toothpaste, facewash, deodorant, a host of personal care products, and even mattresses, toothbrushes and shoe insoles.
A U.S. FDA advisory committee has found that household use of antibacterial products provides no benefits over plain soap and water, and the American Medical Association recommends that triclosan not be used in the home, as it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
What problems are associated with triclosan?
Triclosan is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity, and low levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function. Wastewater treatment does not remove all of the chemical, which means it ends up in our lakes, rivers and water sources. That’s especially unfortunate since triclosan is very toxic to aquatic life.
Triclosan may be in these products:
Tips to control germs:
To protect your family’s health from harmful microorganisms, follow these helpful tips from the EPA:
Where can I learn more?
Read EWG's report on triclosan exposure.
Use this handy map to track down the triclosan in your house.
Triclosan-free body care products in Skin Deep.
Photo by Anthony Salvi.
Comments
Greetings! Since the beginning of history, God has been revealing events to come to His people. On June 19, 2008 the Lord strongly impressed on me the need for His people to educate themselves concerning the products they buy and consume. I am writing this because I believe the Lord is warning His people of days to come. There are certain chemicals found in everyday products that are going to wreak havoc on our environment and well-being. One such chemical is Triclosan. Triclosan is an excellent product when used to protect healthcare providers treating patients with contagious diseases, such as medical professionals who are working in third-world countries during serious disease outbreaks. It can be a lifesaver to medical workers under those circumstances; however, the use of triclosan has not been tightly regulated, and it is now being overused in many products you and I use every day.
The warning cry is that this chemical and similar compounds will end up killing us if we continue to misuse and overuse them. Overuse puts us all at risk at contracting antibiotic-resistant superbugs, and individually, triclosan-based products weaken our immune systems. Please do not use or purchase triclosan-based products.
The dangers of the chemical Triclosan and similar tricloson-like products (such as Triclocarban and quaternary ammonium compounds):
*Triclosan is found in hundreds of common everyday products, including nearly half of all commercial soaps.
*It is used so frequently that triclosan has made its way into the human body - a Swedish study found triclosan in human breast milk in three out of five women.
*Numerous studies have found that triclosan promotes the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
*Dioxin, a highly carcinogenic, endocrine disrupting compound, may be formed during the manufacturing process of triclosan, and thus is a likely contaminant. More alarmingly, researchers found that when sunlight is shined on triclosan in water and on fabric, a portion of triclosan is transformed into dioxin. Because of its ubiquitous nature, the conversion to dioxin is of major concern.
*Triclosan is one of the most frequently detected compounds in rivers, streams, and other bodies of water, often in high concentrations. Triclosan is highly toxic to a number of different types of algae. Since algae are the primary producers in many aquatic ecosystems, high levels of triclosan may have destructive effects on aquatic ecosystems.
*The American Medical Association took an official stance against adding antimicrobials to consumer products in 2000 and has repeatedly urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to better regulate these chemicals.
For more information use the search button (above) and type in: "Triclosan."
The single most important thing you can do in your life is to establish a personal relationship with Jesus, in which He is your personal Lord and Savior. If you have not yet accepted Jesus into your life, you can do so now, by praying this prayer:
"Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus is the Messiah and He died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. Amen."
Blessings to you,
Rev. K. L. Maines
Duly Ordained Pastor/Evangelist
For Prayer email me at : RevMaines@aol.com
VISIT OUR BLOG http://klmainesministries.blogspot.com/search?q=
Triclosan is found in the following products:
Soaps:
* Dial® Liquid Soap
* Softsoap® Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap
* Tea Tree Therapy™ Liquid Soap
* Provon® Soap
* Clearasil® Daily Face Wash
* Dermatologica® Skin Purifying Wipes
* Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser
* DermaKleen™ Antibacterial Lotion Soap
* Naturade Aloe Vera 80® Antibacterial Soap
* CVS Antibacterial Soap
* pHisoderm Antibacterial Skin Cleanser
Dental Care:
* Colgate Total®; Breeze™ Triclosan Mouthwash
* Reach® Antibacterial Toothbrush
* Janina Diamond Whitening Toothpaste
Cosmetics:
* Supre® Café Bronzer™
* TotalSkinCare Makeup Kit
* Garden Botanika® Powder Foundation
* Mavala Lip Base
* Jason Natural Cosmetics
* Blemish Cover Stick
* Movate® Skin Litening Cream HQ
* Paul Mitchell Detangler Comb
* Revlon ColorStay LipSHINE Lipcolor Plus Gloss
* Dazzle
Deodorant:
* Old Spice High Endurance Stick Deodorant
* Right Guard Sport Deodorant
* Queen Helene® Tea Trea Oil Deodorant and Aloe Deodorant
* Nature De France Le Stick Natural Stick Deodorant
* DeCleor Deodorant Stick
* Epoch® Deodorant with Citrisomes
* X Air Maximum Strength Deodorant
Other Personal Care Products:
* Gillette® Complete Skin Care MultiGel Aerosol Shave Gel
* Murad Acne Complex® Kit®
* Diabet-x™ Cream
* T.Taio™ sponges and wipes
* Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel
First Aid:
* SyDERMA® Skin Protectant plus First Aid Antiseptic
* Solarcaine®
* First Aid Medicated Spray;
Nexcare™ First Aid
* Skin Crack Care
* First Aid/Burn Cream
* HealWell® Night Splint
* 11-1X1: Universal Cervical Collar with Microban
Kitchenware:
* Farberware® Microban Steakknife Set and Cutting Boards
* Franklin Machine Products FMP Ice Cream Scoop SZ 20 Microban
* Hobart Semi-Automatic Slicer
* Chix® Food Service Wipes with Microban
* Compact Web Foot® Wet Mop Heads
Computer Equipment:
* Fellowes Cordless Microban Keyboard and Microban Mouse Pad
Clothes:
* Teva® Sandals
* Merrell Shoes
* Sabatier Chef's Apron
* Dickies Socks
* Fruit of the Loom Socks
* Biofresh® Socks
Children's Toys:
* Playskool® :
o Stack 'n Scoop Whale
o Rockin' Radio
o Hourglass
o Sounds Around Driver
o Roll 'n' Rattle Ball
o Animal Sounds Phone
o Busy Beads Pal
o Pop 'n' Spin Top
o Lights 'n' Surprise Laptop
Other:
* Bionare® Cool Mist Humidifier
* Microban® All Weather Reinforced Hose
* Thomasville® Furniture
* Deciguard AB Ear Plugs
* Bauer® 5000 Helmet
* Aquatic Whirlpools
* Miller Paint Interior Paint
* QVC® Collapsible 40-Can Cooler
* Holmes Foot Buddy™ Foot Warmer
* Blue Mountain Wall Coverings
* California Paints®
* EHC AMRail Escalator Handrails
* Dupont™ Air Filters
* Durelle™ Carpet Cushions
* Advanta One Laminate Floors
* San Luis Blankets
* J Cloth® towels
* JERMEX mops
Source: BeyondPesticides.org
References taken from the CDC website:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm
1.*Neu HC. The crisis in antibiotic resistance. Science 1992;257:1064-73.
2.*Levy SB. The antibiotic paradox. How miracle drugs are destroying the miracle. New York: Plenum; 1992.
3.*McMurry LM, Oethinger M, Levy SB. Triclosan targets lipid synthesis. Nature 1998;394:531-2.
4.*McMurry LM, Oethinger M, Levy SB. Overexpression of marA, soxS or acrAB produces resistance to triclosan in Escherichia coli. FEMS Microbiol Lett 1998;166:305-9.
5.*Suller MT, Russell AD. Triclosan and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 2000;46:11-8.
6.*Hoang TT, Schweizer HP. Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI): a target for the antimicrobial triclosan and its role in homoserine lactone synthesis. J Bacteriol 1999;181:5489-97.
7.*Russell AD, Tattawasart U, Maillard J-Y, Furr JR. Possible link between bacterial resistance and use of antibiotics and biocides. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1998;42:2151.
8.*Mereghetti L, Quentin R, Marquet-van der Mee N, Audurier A. Low sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes to quaternary ammonium compounds. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000;66:5083-6.
9.*McMurry LM, McDermott PF, Levy SB. Genetic evidence that InhA of Mycobacterium smegmatis is a target for triclosan. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1999;43:711-3.
10.*Heath RJ, Roch CO. A triclosan-resistant bacterial enzyme. Nature 2000;406:145-6.
11.*Radosti-Slater C, Aller GV, DeWolf W, Greenwood R, Nicholas R, Payne D, et al. Mode of action of triclosan in S. aureus [abstract]. American Society for Microbiology annual meeting, Los Angeles, California, 2000 May 21-24. Abstract 101, p. 26.
12.*Meade MJ, Callahan TM. Unique mechanism of triclosan resistance identified in environmental isolates [abstract]. American Society for Microbiology annual meeting, Los Angeles, California, 2000 May 21-24. Abstract 73, p. 19.
13.*Suzangar S, Allison DG, Gilbert P. An evaluation of biocide-containing materials for their surface colonization-resistance and other properties [abstract] American Society for Microbiology annual meeting, Los Angeles, California, 2000 May 21-24. Abstract 53, p. 17.
14.*Alekshun MN, Levy SB. The mar regulon: multiple resistance to antibiotics and other toxic insults. Trends Microbiol 1999;7:410-3.
15.*Barbosa T, Levy SB. Differential expression of over 60 chromosomal genes in Escherichia coli by constitutive expression of MarA. J Bacteriol 2000;182:3467-74.
16.*Chuanchuen R, Beinlich K, Schweizer HP. Multidrug efflux pumps and triclosan resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa [abstract]. American Society for Microbiology annual meeting, Los Angeles, California, 2000 May 21-24. Abstract 31, p. 8.
17.*Akimitsu N, Hamamoto H, Inoue R, Shoji M, Akamine A, Takemori K, et al. Increase in resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to beta-lactams caused by mutations conferring resistance to benzalkonium chloride, a disinfectant widely used in hospitals. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1999;43:3042-3.
18.*Strachan DP. Hay fever, hygiene, and household size. BMJ 1989;299:1259-60.
19.*Braun-Fahrl*nder CH, Gassner M, Grize L, Neu U, Sennhauser FH, Varonier HS, et al. Prevalence of hay fever and allergic sensitization in farmer's children and their peers living in the same rural community. Clin Exp Allergy 1999;29:28-34.
20.*Rook GAW, Stanford JL. Give us this day our daily germs. Immunol Today 1998;19:113-6.
21.*Matricardi PM, Rosmini F, Riondino S, Fortini M, Ferrigno L, Rapicetta M, et al. Exposure to foodborne and orofecal microbes versus airbone viruses in relation to atopy and allergic asthma: epidemiological study. BMJ 2000;320:412-7.
22.*Aaby P, Shaheen SO, Heyes CB, Goudiaby A, Hall AJ, Shiell AW, et al. Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in Guinea-Bissau. Clin Exp Allergy 2000;30:644-50.
23.*Folkerts G, Walzl G, Openshaw PJM. Do common childhood infections "teach" the immune system not to be allergic? Immunol Today 2000;21:118-20.
Posted by: Rev K L Maines | July 18, 2008 1:35 PM