So there are lots of ways to be exposed to this chemical. I wanted to do more research before just jumping and following this narrative blindly. In addition, more informative tampon labeling, as well as educational efforts by the FDA and manufacturers, may have contributed to the reduction in TSS cases. Find him on Instagram@dr.daignault. Research has shown that fabrics with titanium dioxide that are washed repeatedly release very little of the mineral, she said. But if we are exposed to these same substances via a different route than how they are intended, or at a higher dose, they can be toxic. As a result, it's not too difficult to shop for TiO2-free tampons if you're concernedand have the financial means to do so. There are however many brands who do not use this in their period products. But the video is raising important questions: What is titanium dioxide? 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Though some research identified a link between the . Sign up for the Daily Skimm email newsletter. "There are no published studies on titanium dioxide causing excessive bleeding, infertility or cancer, so it is hard to say if it is dangerous to women's health or not," Dr. Gohar says. Tampons cleared by the FDA are meant to be used one time and then thrown away. Inhaling titanium dioxide while you're painting a room or working on a construction site, for example, may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Regarding risk of cancer, there is an oft-cited study that shows that chronic high-level exposure of inhaled TiO2 could be linked to lung cancer in rats. Although the vagina is a mucous membrane through which a chemical could be absorbed we dont know for sure if this actually happens and if it does how much glyphosate is actually absorbed. Certainly the laws and the regulatory issues are so paramount because that's how we got into this pickle to begin with, Dr. Cohen said. You may want to talk with your health care provider about whether tampons are right for you. Since the heaviness of your flow can fluctuate each day during your period, many women keep a variety of tampon sizes on hand. Study after study has flagged concerns about the potential damaging effects of titanium dioxide on organs like the liver and kidney. In addition to being gynecologist-tested, the tampons are also biodegradable and free from fragrances, dyes, synthetics, and chemicals. "When properly tested, regular tampons are safe and free of harmful chemicals. If you don't want to take any chances with this ingredient, try these organic products instead. Menstrual pads get even more complicated with top layers, middle layers of absorbent foam, super absorbent polymers, various waterproof backings, more fragrance, lots of coatings to wick fluid and aid absorption, lotion ingredients like petrolatum, adhesives made with styrene, more titanium dioxide to make it look whiter, as well as colored dyes for pretty designs. Thats huge, considering the FDA doesnt require companies to list the individual ingredients in tampons and pads since theyre considered medical devices. So what can you do to stay healthy and safe? Dr. Dziadek added that if people dont feel comfortable with tampons, they can try menstrual cups. Best Organic Tampons. Could it really be responsible for reproductive health issues? Estimated ship dimensions: 2.795 inches length x 4.37 inches width x 5.669 inches height. As an emergency roomdoctor, there would be many possible (and more likely) emergency room causes of excessive menstrual bleeding that I would evaluate a patient for. We will keep fighting for the need for safer products and more thorough research! So companies need to come forward and explain what gives them confidence in using it. Myths about aluminum and deodorant, explained, Ive written multiple times in this column. And since the chemical is in the cotton plant it will also be in the cotton produced from the plant. }(document, 'script', 'advocacy-actionwidget-code')); Womens Voices for the Earth Titanium dioxide is common chemical. We are starting to recognize the health concerns of this class of chemicals. There's just a lot of unknowns and I think it requires further investigation, Dr. Olivia Dziadek, gynecologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, said. Still, peoples stories on social media have left many shaken. And it would be a stretch to correlate a possible connection in rats to a true cause-and-effect in humans. It wasnt that long ago (read: 2020) that a New York law requiring ingredients to be listed in period product packaging went into effect. Very pleased with these. That brings us to. Well, unfortunately, we just dont know if that causes health effects.There is no published research available that has ever examined the impacts of vaginal or vulvar exposure to titanium dioxide. Sunscreen can safely contain up to 25% titanium dioxide. These are the best organic tampons to shop for: Best Overall: Organyc 100% Certified Organic Tampons. While you may have heard about reusable tampons, the FDA has not cleared or approved these products. Experts that spoke to Gizmodo also insisted that there is no evidence that titanium dioxide in tampons, other topical products (sunscreen), and food is unsafe to humans as it currently used. PO Box 8743 Lets look at what can happen with an acute TiO2 exposure: The last route absorption is the route of question when it comes to the TiO2 in tampons. Dr. Jennifer Gunter, an OB/GYN and frequent debunker of outrageous and fake advice online, is one of the doctors that came out this week to try to reassure individuals that their tampons were not toxic death sticks.. The reality of life today is that you are bombarded with multiple chemical exposures. With 8 million views, this instance shows the impact of a TikTokdespite the actual evidence to the contrary. Likely in your daily life, you have much more significant exposures to this class of chemicals. https://www.ccohs.ca/headlines/text186.html, [2] EFSA (2021) Titanium dioxide: E171 no longer considered safe when used as a food additive. While paying $300 a month for health insurance. The virtual freak out on TikTok over titanium dioxidea natural mineral approved by the Food and Drug Administration that is used in a variety of products, including sunscreen, cosmetics, food, and toothpasteappears to have started with one video posted at the beginning of the week. A viral TikTok with millions views about how tampons that contain titanium dioxide can cause cancer and other health problems has spurred calls on the platform to throw away all products that match that description. By now, you may have seen the viral video of the girl finding Titanium Dioxide and Polyester in her L Organic tampons and what's crazy is, I even had some of the same brand here at home. According to the company, TiO2 represents less than 0.1% of all the ingredients they use to manufacture their tampons. Protective wrap stands up to the roughest of travel and yet is easily unwrapped so no time is wasted. Alkaline water:Should you be splurging to make your body less acidic? There's also a little bit of evidence to suggest that the common ingredient may be an endocrine disruptor, says Flynnmeaning it may affect a person's hormonal system. Case in point: exposure to titanium dioxide may destroy good gut microbes, cause gut dysfunction and increase intestinal inflammation, according to a February 2021 systematic review of animal studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.. You can also register your story with the FDA Medwatch program their online form is here: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm?action=consumer.reporting1 and on that form you can offer as much or as little information as you wish. To be blunt, they are worried about the possibility of something happening that has never been demonstrated to happen, Marino said. Unfortunately, this question doesnt have a simple answer. For example, here's the ingredient list for Tampax Peal These are by far the most comfortable, reliable, and absorbent. TiO2 was nevertheless banned as a food additive in the EU as of this month. Dr. Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and adjunct assistant professor at University of Illinois at Chicago, is another debunker of TikTok misinformation and has more than 267,000 followers on the platform. Love, love, love it. But titanium dioxides potential health effects depend on how it's used. Titanium dioxide, or TiO 2, is a naturally occurring mineral that takes the form of a tasteless, white powder, according to the National Institutes of Health. Below, Dr. Eyvazzadeh and Erin Flynn, MPH, DNP/FNP, an LGBTQ+ care expert with birth control startup Favor, share the complicated truth behind this question. "[TiO2] may cause cancer based on studies done on animals, and it has been associated with lung cancer when inhaled," says Dr. Eyvazzadeh, which is why the government sets limits on exposure for workers. Let's take a moment to review cotton production and the concept of GMO (genetically modified organism) farming. The FDA discourages the use of reusable tampons. Some. Rates of reported TSS cases associated with tampons have declined significantly over the years. I wouldn't raise the alarm. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. And performed in ways that account for different titanium dioxide levels and time of exposure. Titanium dioxide doesnt dissolve in water, meaning the nanoparticles arent going to dissolve from the tampon string and get into the blood that might be pooling in the vagina and then get absorbed by the body, she wrote. Try These OB-GYN-Recommended, Titanium Dioxide-Free Period Products Rael Organic Cotton Tampons ($13.99 for a 32-count box on Amazon.com) August Tampons ($11 for a 16-count box on Itsaugust.co) Diva Cup ($39.99 for one menstrual cup on Divacup.com) Advertisement references Is this an emergency? "There is no published research available currently that has examined the impacts of vaginal or vulvar exposure to titanium dioxide," Dr. Eyvazzadeh. It is also important to note that the high-profile studies in mice showing inflammation and genetic changes involved force ingestion of massive amounts of titanium dioxide, which would not be possible for every day Americans to replicate through consumer product exposures., Marino speculated that the confusion and recent attention to titanium dioxide was related to a 2021 ban of the mineral by the European Food Safety Authority, which cited concern about the mouse data in its decision although even that data did not support the idea that it is a carcinogen.. Wash your hands before and after using a tampon. Meaning, you dont have to worry that the blood soaked tampon string is leaking titanium dioxide nanoparticles into your vagina.. Which is why you might be alarmed by recent claims on social media about tampons. But this amount varies by product. A spokesperson for Proctor and Gamble, which manufactures the L. tampons brand, told Insider titanium dioxide is used in the thread that attaches the cord to the absorbent part of the tampon, and . Here's why: sometimes the substance is also noted as "Pigment White 6" or "White Pigment," Dr. Gohar explains. It gets used in a LOT of products and its probably been in tampons and pads for a long time (just never listed on the label before). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved titanium dioxide for human consumption in 1966, cementing its presence in a variety of foods, including candies and other processed foods.. And many of these chemicals have been associated with contributing to cancer and other medical problems. The TikTok user who posted the video makes theclaim that TiO2 has been linked to cancer and multiple gynecological issues. But this amount varies by product. Addressing a popular TikTok concern over titanium dioxide getting absorbed by the vagina, Gunter said that this doesnt happen because of titanium dioxides chemical composition. And how can we learn more about the products were using? Overall, what i know is there is two types of titanium dioxide but now the food grade is considered unfit for Skittles. What we need to think about is, if that's what can happen within the gut, there's a lot to be said for what can happen in the vaginal area., Scranton is among the many experts who agree that its a topic that requires more investigation. It's used in sunscreen, all kinds of cosmetics, medications, and you'll find it in food. "could no longer be considered safe" as a food additive, ban TiO2 as a food additive earlier this year, classifies tampons and pads as medical devices, are recommended, but not required, to list their ingredients, may cause cancer based on studies done on animals, government sets limits on exposure for workers, not found any clear link between lung cancer, titanium dioxide can cause alterations to the reproductive system, 26 percent of the global population are of reproductive age. And see what they say. More: Which supplements are most likely to land you in the ER? L. Organic Cotton Regular and Super Absorbency Compact Tampons 76CT. "Again, the data is inconclusive on whether these products are really linked to excessive bleeding, cancer and infertility, so it's not right or wrong to continue using these products based on currently available information," Dr. Gohar says. Because there's so little conclusive research on the potential effects of titanium dioxide, you're not going to find clear, concise guidance for tampon shopping by studying up. Walmart customers love these super plus organic cotton tampons from Lola so much, they have given them an impressive 4.3-star rating. And that is what I encourage you all to do to contact the manufacturers of the products you use. And even heard from the company behind the tampons in question. "Didn't get the weird tingling that other tampons can give you. An official website of the United States government, Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts, The Facts on Tamponsand How to Use Them Safely. Dr. Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told Gizmodo in an email that inhaled titanium dioxide (primarily related to industrial exposure) is considered possibly carcinogenic. ", The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved titanium dioxide for human consumptionin 1966, cementing its presence in a variety of foods, including candies and other processed foods. There are a number of folks online recently worried about finding titanium dioxide as an ingredient in their tampons and pads and wondering if it is related to some health conditions they are experiencing like ovarian cysts, miscarriages, UTIs and more. ", Price at time of publication: $11.25 for 32 count. No applicator also means less plastic, less waste, and they're also way more discreet, and I can pack more of them into a smaller space. When inhaled repeatedly, this white powder can irritate the lungs, causing problems like bronchitis or even lung cancer, as it's been shown to be a known carcinogen in animals, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. And the data seems to [indicate] that not very much gets into your body. Certainly, we don't have the data to support that alarmist concern. Once again we are reminded how important it is that we have ingredient information, and how woefully under-researched the potential impacts that ingredients used in menstrual products and intimate care products might be having on vaginal and vulvar health. While most options on this list are more expensive than other tampons you can find in the aisles of your favorite drugstore, Just's tampons are as affordable as they are eco-friendly. A viral TikTok video is spreading misinformation that an ingredient occasionally found in tampons titanium dioxide can cause cancer. Titanium dioxide is a white powder and a common ingredient in many products.
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