Triclosan.
It's job is to kill germs.
But... it apparently moonlights as an endocrine disruptor. So far, at least, we know it does in small animals.
Most of us come in contact with triclosan every single day, repeatedly, in our toothpaste, in our hand soaps, our cleaning supplies, and other products. In fact, it's so prevalent, according to this New York Times article by Andrew Martin, that it shows up in the urine of 75 percent of every American over five years old!
Add to this the increase in popularity of anti-bacterial products. Over the past decade or so, it seems like every new kitchen and soap formula has a germ killing agent. And along with the possibility of messing with our hormones, the prevalence of antibiotics means that bacteria will morph into antibiotic-resistant killer superbugs. Like C.diff and MRSA. And if we all have antibacterials in our systems, how does that effect the efficacy of antibiotics when we need to take them?
The FDA says it doesn't have enough data to make a recommendation one way or the other.
So, when is not having enough data the same thing as knowing triclosan is safe?
That's what the chemical companies want you to believe. Shades of the tobacco cancer wars.
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