Study finds lead and arsenic in tampons, including organic ones, says expert

Study finds lead and arsenic in tampons, including organic ones, says expert (WCIV)

 (WCIV) — Medical experts found arsenic and lead in 30 samples of female hygiene products from the United States and the United Kingdom.

The tampons were tested by researchers and used by women.

“We know from the study that it does harbor trace amounts,” said Dr. Jessica Wade with Charleston OB/GYN. “What we don’t know and what they did in the study is any of that leaching out and is any of that getting absorbed by women’s bodies?”

Tampons are one of the leading hygiene products used with alternatives including pads, menstrual cups and disks.

Several women weigh their options between buying regular and organic products, but does that make a difference in protection from the toxic materials detected?

“Another thing that they found in this study is that organic tampons are no better than regular tampons. So, regular tampons have slightly level higher levels of lead. But organic tampons have higher levels of arsenic now,” Wade said.

Though the detected lead and arsenic metals results were low, it’s all about reading the labels.

“A lot of women and a lot of my patients have been like, ‘Okay, I’m just gonna go organic and it’s gonna be fine.” But, cotton is cotton – regardless of if it’s organic or non-organic,” Wade said. “It’s gonna have a trace amount of these things.”

And choosing products with the least amount of ingredients as these metals are found everywhere.

“Lead is in soil, lead is in our water and it’s just regulated,” Wade said. “There’s more lead in our tap water, but there’s still some in bottled water. And it’s regulated pretty closely by the FDA and EPA and all of that.”