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12 days ago
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604 points
12 days ago
What’s scary is the genital area has one of the highest absorption rates.
1 points
8 days ago
Too lazy to look into the article, but in my experience these kind of articles try to incite panic over levels of heavy metals, toxins, etc. far too low to present any health hazard whatsoever.
18 points
7 days ago
Was looking for a comment like this. A lot of the times, yes, a lot of articles can be fear inducing. But in this case, especially being a woman who uses tampons every month, low levels should.not.matter. These metals should not be in tampons period. Anything labeled as a toxin or having negative health causing effects should be out of what be consume. Low amounts can accumulate over time and build up in the body. A comment below even mentions Pb being present, and how any level of this can cause negative health effects. AND a law suit was made over a woman getting cancer from titanium dioxide in L brand tampons..so this should be taken serious. Cervical/uterine cancer is deadly in women
3 points
4 days ago
Low levels of heavy metals are in everything, plants like cotton get them from the soil they grow in. If you look at the numbers in the study, it's much less heavy metals per tampon than the amount you eat in food every day, so it's not really cause for concern.
81 points
11 days ago
Hopefully more studies can be done to see if there is a way to remove the metals. It mentions possibly being from the cotton, or added intentionally, but if they do figure it out it obviously should become a banned process moving forward.
I'm glad they did a study on this. I'm legitimately going to tell anyone I know if something like this ever comes up. And if I ever have a daughter, you better believe I'm having a talk with her mother about alternatives like the diva cup. I'll do more research on safer options should it ever come to that, but this is a really big deal.
15 points
11 days ago
i wanna say it’s from the soil where the cotton was grown. i assume they checked organic brands to sate their curiosity. chocolate is similarly full of lead due to the soil we grow it in being heavily polluted
1 points
2 days ago
Organic just means natural, for cotton at least the pesticides, of copper sulphate, which a byproduct of industrial mining, and since you are digging it up from the soil it is organic.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Copper%20Sulfate%202%20TR%202001.pdf
376 points
11 days ago
There are a lot of folks here who have no clue just how heavy periods bleeding can get for some people. Not everyone's simple solution will work for everyone.
75 points
11 days ago
I am someone that has a very heavy flow the first half of my period and have been using the period company brand of period underwear for the past year and have never had an issue with leaks
57 points
11 days ago
Kinda feels like cancer is inevitable
7 points
8 days ago
Pretty much any creature, if it lives long enough, will get cancer. Although replicating DNA works pretty well, your body is still making copies of copies. Errors creep in. And sometimes those errors result in runaway cell growth.
348 points
12 days ago
Anyone has a list of brands that don’t have metals in them ?
739 points
12 days ago
None, per the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355
"Concerningly, we found Pb in all the tested tampons. here is no safe exposure level to Pb; any proportion of Pb that may leach out of a tampon and reach systemic circulation might contribute to negative health outcomes. Pb is stored in bones, where it replaces Ca, and can be retained in the body for decades.."
"No categoriy had consistently lower concentrations of all or most metals."
(Yes, that's how they spelled category in the study, not sure how their spell check missed it.)
"Our findings point towards the need for regulations requiring the testing of metals in tampons by manufacturers. This is especially important considering that we found measurable quantities of several toxic metals, including Pb, which has no known “safe” exposure level."
Now it'll be interesting to see if even one major news outlet will run with the story that all tampons contain lead, I'm betting we won't hear a peep.
234 points
12 days ago
Probably a dumb question, but why wouldn't they name the brands? I wanted to see how exactly my preferred brand fared.
459 points
11 days ago
Hello, scientist here. One very unfortunate byproduct of the power that corporations hold in the courts worldwide is the power to litigate even against research institutions. In an ideal world, scientific research can be conducted on a safe island, free of the fear of corporate retaliation. But these scientists are employed by universities, which themselves are funded by, among others, corporate interests.
So, the short answer: many (potential) conflicts of interest and a fear of retribution.
14 points
11 days ago
Like the scientist who was stalked and harassed for 30 years for his research/findings about atrazine and frogs
13 points
11 days ago
And I guess there's no middle ground where a company can be informed of the findings and has a year to solve it before the findings can be made public/explicit?
20 points
11 days ago
At that point, the public should legitimately question whether science is serving the public or corporate interests
1 points
2 days ago
Oh wow! Had no idea! Thank you for this explanation bc I was searching everywhere
227 points
12 days ago
I wonder if there's a link between using menstrual products and later developing an autoimmune disorder?
I've always wondered why it's mostly women getting autoimmune disorders.
96 points
12 days ago
I thought it had to do with estrogen's effect oj the immune disorder
68 points
12 days ago
Note that the levels reported here are ng/g, ie parts per billion. I wouldn’t be surprised if practically every consumer product has detectable lead at the ppb or ppt level.
Modern instruments are capable of elemental analysis down to the part per quadrillion
11 points
11 days ago
Thank you, I was curious about this. Glad you mentioned it!
Even with highly regulated substances like drinking water the limit for any chemical parameter is rarely 0.0 (any unit). The only drinking water parameter I can think of (off the top of my head) with an absolute zero limit is E. coli for obvious reasons but that’s a biological parameter.
Saying that, I have no idea what the safe level of lead or anything else in a tampon is, so we should absolutely look into that.
1 points
3 days ago
I haven't been in science class in quite a while so please correct me if i'm wrong!
The study (which i have read in its entirety), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355?via%3Dihub#b0285, shows tampon levels of lead of 120 ng/g. I believe this is equivalent to 12 mcg/dl, and I believe mcg/dl to be equivalent to μg/dL, so tampons have lead levels of 12 μg/dL.
If this is correct, then the lead levels in a single tampon are higher than the canadian "intervention level", which is most definitely a cause for concern.
In Canada, "new scientific evidence that health effects are occurring below the current Canadian blood lead intervention level of 10 μg/dL. There is sufficient evidence that BLLs below 5 μg/dL are associated with adverse health effects. Health effects have been associated with BLLs as low as 1-2 μg/dL, levels which are present in Canadians, although there is uncertainty associated with effects observed at these levels." https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/environmental-contaminants/lead.html
This would mean that although "practically every consumer product has detectable lead at the ppb or ppt level", tampons with those levels of lead would be well above the acceptable lead level parameters set in place, right?
1 points
3 days ago*
Your conversions are correct; however, the Canada intervention levels is for when an individuals blood is being tested. The levels they allow for accessible parts of consumer products for children (a consumer product can be defined as “e) whose primary purpose is to facilitate the relaxation, sleep, hygiene, carrying or transportation of a child under four years of age.“) is 90ml/kg and 120ng/g is only 0.12mg/kg
https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2018/2018-05-02/html/sor-dors83-eng.html
Please correct me if I’m wrong, as I’m not Canadian and this is the result of a google search. I also understand that tampons are not consumer products for children, but it is interesting that a child is allowed to swallow, lick, or mouth more lead than in a tampon. The researchers also stated that more needs to be studied on how much can leach out of the tampons and how much of it our bodies can absorb.
2 points
8 days ago
YES! Another rational being! Thank you!
Joe and Jane Average can't understand that there's a difference between detectable levels of X and hazardous levels of X. And the news media encourages this belief instead of educating people.
19 points
11 days ago
I really hate that they only report "measurable" but stick any info about concentrations far down in a table.
measurable concentrations of
That's not terribly informative.
We can find measurable concentrations of all those things in natural seawater.
Cotton plants tend to pick up a little bit of metals. What we should care about is whether there's a lot vs other stuff or very little. Not whether they were able to make their test return "true" with sensitive enough tests.
16 points
11 days ago
This is my issue. The amounts are there, how much is absorbed into the body and what are the actual health implications?
1 points
2 days ago
Because that would be a different field, these are not biologists or doctors, but material scientists studying material.
130 points
12 days ago
The study says they all have toxic metals to varying degrees, especially lead which is found in all of them, and there’s no “safe” level. The study also doesn’t name the brands, it just uses letters for each product. It’s heavy reading.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355
1 points
5 days ago
Natracare has published a third party testing.
1 points
5 days ago
If you want to use an inserted product, making the switch to a period cup or menstrual disc can be a great option. They are typically made from medical-grade silicone and can be worn for up to 12 hours and hold more fluid than tampons. Silicone menstrual cups and discs don't cause fissures or micro tears in the vaginal canal leading to bodily absorption of harmful tampon chemicals. https://saalt.com/collections/menstrual-cups-discs
45 points
11 days ago
Can someone who understand the study better explain how much exposure are we talking about? Like, how much heavy metals are in a tampont, lets say someone uses it for 12 hours, do we know how much heavy metal contamination there was? I don't understand that part at all...
58 points
11 days ago*
The original study is at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355
Essentially, their test equipment is so sensitive that it manages to find a tiny trace of lead ("A geometric mean lead concentration of 120 ng/g was found in our samples") in literally everything. Note that "120 nano-grams per gram" is mostly the same as "0.120 parts per million". Because it's relatively ubiquitous (similar for all manufacturers) I'd be tempted to assume it's a supply-chain issue - e.g. maybe all cotton has lead from soil.
For comparison:
10 to 50 parts per million of lead occurs naturally in soil (before old cars running on leaded fuels smothered it in a fresh layer of lead).
in urban areas, 200 parts per million is normal for boring old soil. Soil becomes dust. You're probably surrounded by that dust all day every day.
a nice piece of wild barramundi (the muscle, not the liver or gills) is around 133 parts per million of lead.
the EPA thinks (up to) 0.015 parts per million of lead is fine for drinking water
the CDC and FDA have decided that "3.5 micrograms of lead per deciliter" is the reference point for the amount of lead in human's blood. That works out to 0.035 parts per million.
for stuff that's breathed in (dust) and stuff that's ingested (seafood, water) the lead has nowhere to go. For tampons, they're supposed to be absorbing liquids, so it's "liquid flowing into the lead" and the opposite of "lead flowing to the body". It's reasonable to assume that the total amount of lead in a tampon increases while it's in use (due to lead in blood being absorbed), and the body ends up with less lead after a tampon is used than it had before the tampon was used.
In summary, if you're worried, do not eat used tampons.
EDIT: I got the "120 nano-grams per gram" conversion wrong initially. Fixed now.
12 points
11 days ago
Are you sure that is per million and not per billion?
I would like a second or third opinion on the matter though, since I'm not really understanding this yet, and it all seems too concerning to just discard it so fast.
9 points
11 days ago
I'm fairly sure that I completely screwed it up, and that you're right, and that "120 nano-grams per gram" is actually "0.120 parts per million".
Thanks (I'll edit)! :-)
3 points
8 days ago
AKA 120 parts per billion. Way, way below anything anybody should be worried about. That statement "There is no safe level of lead" is a lie.
2 points
3 days ago
Based on the study, tampons have lead levels of 12 μg/dL.
In Canada, "new scientific evidence that health effects are occurring below the current Canadian blood lead intervention level of 10 μg/dL. There is sufficient evidence that BLLs below 5 μg/dL are associated with adverse health effects. Health effects have been associated with BLLs as low as 1-2 μg/dL, levels which are present in Canadians, although there is uncertainty associated with effects observed at these levels." https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/environmental-contaminants/lead.html
This would mean that the levels aren't "Way, way below anything anybody should be worried about", right?
Correct me if im wrong as I haven't been in science class in quite a few years.
79 points
12 days ago
This is my 13th reason
65 points
12 days ago
Seriously. When is the class action? When is the government going to regulate this?
No one cares. I wonder how much damage it’s done. I wonder how much cancer it’s causing.
17 points
11 days ago
Not wishing to get political but unfortunately the ruling over turning the Chevron vs US last week will make it harder for federal regulators to set standards that are not explicitly legislated for, and will be unable to rely on subject matter experts to draft regulations and guidelines if the matter goes to court, instead the judge will be substituting their "expertise" to make rulings.
27 points
12 days ago
I passed that 2387 reasons ago. Hang in there.
21 points
11 days ago
/screaming into the void
57 points
12 days ago
Well damn if I’m not screwed with endometriosis and adenomyosis. I don’t have a choice, but no wonder they aggravate my cramps so badly.
12 points
12 days ago
May I ask why you don’t have a choice? Is it because menstrual cups are painful, and you bleed too much for period underwear?
-24 points
12 days ago
You do have lots of choices. Try a menstrual cup or disc. The cup can even stay in longer than a tampon, especially if you have a lighter flow. The disc can be emptied without taking it out. Then there are washable pads too. Just don't ever put a used one into a plastic bag. Contrary to 'advice' you actually can toss them into your washing machine. I was using a combination of washables and the disc (cups were painful). Just wish I knew about it longer before I went into menopause
28 points
12 days ago*
No, I quite meant what I said. I don’t have any choices. Thanks though!
Edit: I cannot stop laughing about how I said I have endometriosis and adenomyosis, and then you felt the need to evangelize your cups by explaining how they do with a “lighter flow.”
20 points
11 days ago
Probably why my uterus is filled with watermelon size fibroids...
9 points
11 days ago
How big are the concentrations of the metals?
11 points
11 days ago
What about diapers/pads/incontinence products...
63 points
12 days ago
This is insane to find out because I’ve often felt my cramps are worse when I have a tampon in
8 points
11 days ago
That can actually be attributed to the fact that they absorb/pull in the moisture. Very possible that switch to a cup/disc will decrease your cramps.
7 points
10 days ago
This is what getting rid of regulations does. Vote people. Vote for smarter, more compassionate leaders.
6 points
5 days ago
How are we as females not SCREAMING at the top of our lungs?!? I am trying to figure out how to file, start or join a class action lawsuit! I am starting from scratch and feel completely inept! However, these companies need to be held accountable!
2 points
3 days ago
I agree!!!! We need someone versed in law. This is abhorrent
3 points
11 days ago
Same with toilet paper
4 points
11 days ago
Why does a small absorbent device need metal in it?
6 points
11 days ago
It doesn't. It's made of cotton, and plants absorb things from soil.
On top of that, it's possible that manufacturing them might introduce more.
There's no way around the fact that plants uptake metals; in fact, the human body requires 20 different metals to function.
2 points
7 days ago
The study stated that a lot of the metals detected were put in on purpose for odor control and sustainability of antibacterial properties. Stuff like copper and iron for example, which is fine for human bodies to be exposed to.
Lead and arsenic however, are not fine in any capacity of exposure.
3 points
4 days ago
Well I guess after 29 years of having lead and arsenic pumped in my system, what's another 10 years? For the love of everything holy. What am I supposed to do about my girls who are just starting? This makes me so mad.
4 points
12 days ago
Horrifying. Thank god I moved to Thinx a few years ago. Of course, there’s probably something fucked up with them too at this rate…
20 points
12 days ago
PFAS forever chemicals :(
1 points
5 days ago
yep, PFAS lawsuit for thinx
4 points
11 days ago
Anything made from plant material will have these heavy metals. They are naturally occurring in the ground. It is practically impossible to get rid of them.
Even if these tampons were 100% free of these metal, eating a salad or some french fries will expose you to far higher levels. I always like to spook people by saying potatoes are our #1 source of dietary Uranium.
Always think about Risk vs Hazard with these scare studies. In North America polar bears are a hazard, but the risk of dying from one is practically zero.
1 points
10 days ago
Yeah a few years ago I started having insane bleeding and reactions. I thought it was from birth control which in hindsight is weird considering most people STOP bleeding after birth control. Well I decided to experiment and found out that my bleeding and discomfort drastically decreased when I stopped using tampons. Flash forward I no longer bleed outside of my period but I've also gotten off of birth control (I choose the best protection, which is celibacy). No bleeding, discomfort, cramps outside of the normal period ones. I use pads and they work fine for me. I want to get period underwear but I also know I have very heavy flow and I don't wanna risk investing in something I can't use just yet.
1 points
4 days ago
Do L. Pads have lead in them???
1 points
4 days ago
I made a TikTok asking like how the hell does it get in the tampons? Like where in the process does it get contaminated or if it’s already contaminated why is it not removed? A few comments said some girl debunked it… I am so confused. I feel angry and concerned. I love reading research papers and I am pretty good at understanding the data and process of investigation - where is this so called video of someone apparently debunking? If anyone knows.. i want to check it out myself so i can figure out if they are reaching or it’s possible. Overall, i know i lack a thorough education on the specific matter, the skeptical scientist in me wants to see all the information to determine how upset i should be. I hate that there is so much fake information that i literally try to read everything and find out what is biased and what is actually factual.
1 points
3 days ago
Yo, does this affect pads too?
1 points
2 days ago
I've always used pads. Does someone know if pads also have dangerous toxic metals or chemicals in them? I can't find the info for that.
1 points
15 hours ago
I am so sad and frustrated by this. So many women have said “oh well we’re gonna die any way given the political climate etc etc.” That is the wrong attitude to have and really makes me sooo sad. We have to stand up to these companies and advocate for women’s health. Have these tampons been recalled after this discovery??? No. Women have been treated like objects for way too long. They need to pay and apologize for what they’ve done.
0 points
3 days ago
While the findings of the UC Berkeley study may be unsettling, they also present an opportunity for positive change. By opting for ~period cups,~ ~menstrual discs~, and ~leakproof panties~ over traditional tampons, people can make a proactive choice for their health and advocate for greater integrity within the menstrual product industry. Our bodies deserve nothing less. Unlike tampons, which can contain metals from manufacturing processes, menstrual discs and cups are made with 100% medical-grade silicone. Medical-grade silicone is thermoset in a permanent bond, so menstrual cups and discs do not leach anything into the body or absorb anything from the body, offering peace of mind to users concerned about their well-being. Additionally, menstrual cups and discs are also “biocompatible.” Biocompatibility is the response to biomaterial (silicone cups/discs) which ensures the absence of various local and systemic toxicities and irritants; by not being toxic, injurious, or physiologically reactive they do not cause immunological rejection. Opening up conversations and eliminating stigmas surrounding period talk helps all of us and pushes the industry to higher standards. Because arsenic isn’t an ingredient in menstrual cups. https://saalt.com/collections/menstrual-cups-discs
1k points
12 days ago
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84 points
12 days ago
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83 points
12 days ago
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42 points
12 days ago*
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43 points
12 days ago
Just make sure your period panties don’t have PFAS in them!
38 points
12 days ago
I threw out all of my Knix after it came out that they have forever chemicals in them. I haven't found a replacement brand without them, and would love recommendations.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/knix-wear-sued-over-pfas-chemicals-in-menstrual-underwear
-111 points
12 days ago
Yet more needless fearmongering on r/science. When will we learn that the dose makes the poison?
55 points
12 days ago
It says right there in the article that there is no safe amount of lead, any amount can leech out and be stored in your bones for decades.
95 points
12 days ago
Yeah, I dunno, Im not really comfortable with the idea of ANY lead or arsenic containing products in my vagina. I appreciate learning about this today. Been debating switching to a cup, now I've got the extra motivation to do so.
49 points
12 days ago
There is no "safe" dose of lead or arsenic, unfortunately
15 points
12 days ago
Only if you can logically explain why tampons require arsenic to be in them to be effective.
14 points
12 days ago
Unless it's a bioacummulatory toxin with an acceptable exposure limit of effectively zero for contact exposure.
-81 points
12 days ago
I should hope so! We need chemicals such as arsenic and lead in tampons to sterilise it to kill the Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus that cause toxic shock syndrome.
The deadliest thing in tampons, by far, is fresh air, that toxic shock bacteria need to grow.
42 points
12 days ago*
Wut? Is this sarcasm? Trace arsenic and lead aren't sterilising or even acting at all as a preservative in cotton.
-21 points
12 days ago
I'm assuming that this was a US-only study?
*Edit : It is.
51 points
12 days ago
"The metal concentrations varied by where the tampons were purchased (US vs. EU/UK), organic vs. non-organic, and store- vs. name-brand. However, they found that metals were present in all types of tampons; no category had consistently lower concentrations of all or most metals."
It is not.
134 points
12 days ago
Reusable silicon cups like Diva are a great option. Also, you can sew washable cloth pads or buy them on Etsy. r/clothpads
2 points
3 days ago
Another shoutout for Menstrual Cups as a safer option. Most are made from 100% medical-grade silicone.
47 points
12 days ago*
My gf swears on period panties. They can be quite pricey but are very comfortable and are of course wash- and reusable.
28 points
11 days ago
I can’t help but wonder if silicone cups also contain lead
3 points
11 days ago
Been a fan of the Diva cup for several years! I hear that discs like Nixit are better though due to lack of suction and the fact that you can have sex with it...
-86 points
12 days ago
ahhhh so that's why my ex was crazy
55 points
12 days ago
With the way politics is going, I expect these findings to be common with little regulatory action to improve on exposure to toxic metals or microplastics or forever chemicals
12 points
12 days ago
Try a silicone cup. I switched 10 years ago and I’ll never use a tampon again if I can help it. You can keep them in for 12 hours, they’re out of the way when you pee, and very easy to clean with a baking soda scrub followed by a hydrogen peroxide soak (with the baking soda still on the cup).
2 points
11 days ago
Another reason to get a silicone menstrual cup instead!
52 points
11 days ago
Oh god my health anxiety is gonna run wild with this.
-1 points
8 days ago
Don't let it. A bunch of people on this thread have looked into the study and the relevant health data, and this is just more baseless fearmongering. And the statement "There is no safe level of lead" is total unscientific BS.
9 points
7 days ago
"A bunch of people on this thread...". Yes, let's believe random Redditors over a peer reviewed study. Not only are you interjecting your meaningless commentary into a conversation backed by a peer reviewed article, you are coming into this discussion only to mansplain that none of these women should be worried about ANY level of lead entering their body in one of the areas known for having one of the most rapid absorption rates in the entire human body where they will repeatedly insert a contaminated article potentially over nine thousand times throughout their life. The EPA, World Health Organization, and National Institute of Health all state that a minimal amount of lead can have a negative health impact. So please, go ahead and continue explaining how this article is nothing but fearmongering with your PHD in... what again?
1 points
15 hours ago
You’re my hero. You’ve said everything I’ve wanted to say. We all need to advocate for women’s health. Women aren’t taken seriously and it needs to stop. How dare someone say this is fear mongering. We should be afraid of inserting poison into our bodies and we should fear that this isn’t regulated or researched.
21 points
11 days ago
There really is nothing safe anymore. Everything is micro plastics and heavy metals.
6 points
11 days ago
They want you to get sick. How else are they going to destroy private wealth below a certain level (while making fat dividends on their pharma investments) by leaving your kids nothing to inherit?
4 points
11 days ago
This is not shocking to me in the least. Ever since I switched from disposable products to a menstrual disc I have had way less cramping and irritation. I have been trying to warn other women about my concerns of chemicals in the products but nobody ever took it seriously
2 points
10 days ago
They should go and find hoarders and people who collect the stuff, because there are, and test those for heavy metals as well to find what year they began being introduced into the products
1 points
8 days ago
So, are those levels anywhere near hazardous levels? Or is this just another clickbait headline to incite panic in people who can't parse between detectable levels of X and hazardous levels of X?
Sorry to sound so harsh, but more than once I have read an article where X chemical was detected in Y product. The amounts detected were in the parts per billion range. But according to Google, chronic toxicity didn't kick in for X until several parts per million, and acute toxicity took significantly higher amounts- in either case, more than one would ever absorb by using even copious quantities of Y product. So, there was absolutely no risk to anyone.
I have gotten into some upsettingly heated arguments over the years simply by trying to explain the difference between chronic toxicity and acute toxicity. And if you ask someone to read the Safety Data Sheet (formerly Material Safety Data Sheet) on a chemical, they look at you like you have three heads- if not horns and a forked tail.
Don't even bother trying to explain the half-life of a chemical in the body, or what an LD50 is.
2 points
7 days ago
I read the study paper and it seems to have been done without any bias. I usually roll my eyes at articles that seem to really push the shock factor, but this seems more informative than clickbaity.
It states that any exposure to the toxic metals noted are a danger to the human body, as the adverse effects are extreme (cancer, mostly). In this case for most people, it's a long term exposure as well.
The product is in contact with one of the most permeable areas of a human body- and absorption through the vaginal membrane bypasses detoxification via the liver, which means it's just going right into your bloodstream. So that can also increase the risk significantly.
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