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Doctor says you don’t need to worry about ‘toxic metals’ found in tampons
A new study has detected “several toxic metals” including lead and arsenic in tampons and it’s sparked huge panic online.
However, a doctor says you don’t need to worry because the concentrations are tiny in comparison to other things we consume every day.
‘Several toxic metals’ found in tampons
The study, conducted by researchers at The University of California, Berkeley and published in Environment International, evaluated the concentrations of 16 metals in 30 tampons from 14 different brands sold in the US, UK and Greece.
They detected all 16 metals in at least one sampled tampon including:�arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc.
This included “several toxic metals” that researchers said have “no safe exposure level” – lead, cadmium and arsenic.
The study concluded that tampon use “is a potential source of metal exposure,” but said that future research is needed to determine whether these metals can leach out of the period products into the bloodstream.
Doctor says you don’t need to worry
Many tampon users are now panicking about the harmful metals, but a doctor has said there is no need to worry.
The average amount of lead found in the tampons was 120 nanograms per gram, which is “minuscule” compared to other things we consume, Dr. Karan Rajan revealed on TikTok.
“We’re constantly exposed to metals like mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead which are present at various levels in the soil, water and atmosphere, and they make their way into the foods we eat and the products we use,” he said.
The doctor explained that 200g of cooked white rice contains up to 2,000 nanograms of lead, while a few litres of water can be up to 10,000 nanograms. That’s almost 100 times the amount of lead found in a tampon!
Rajan added that these items are both consumed through the mouth, meaning the lead is quickly absorbed into our system. However, there is currently no proof that lead can be absorbed through the vagina.
The study’s researchers also acid-digested and microwaved the tampon samples to get their results, which the doctor said did not mimic real-world conditions.
The cotton plant absorbs lead and other metals from the soil and most tampons are made from cotton, so they will unavoidably contain small traces. However, Rajan concluded that it’s a “non-clinically significant” amount and you’re safe to continue using the menstrual products as normal.
Dr. Karan Rangarajan is an NHS Surgeon who gained his medical degree from Imperial College London. He uses his knowledge to educate people on TikTok, where he has more than 5.3 million followers, and also lectures at the University of Sunderland.
