A groundbreaking study has revealed that tampons may contain toxic metals, including arsenic and lead, raising serious concerns about potential health risks for millions of users.
The research highlights that between 52% and 86% of people who menstruate in the U.S. use tampons, often for several hours at a time. Given the high absorbency of vaginal tissue, any presence of metals in tampons could lead to significant exposure risks. Shockingly, researchers believe this is the first-ever study to measure metal content in tampons.
“Despite the potential public health impact, there’s been very little research on the chemical composition of tampons,” said lead author Jenni A. Shearston.
To address this gap, Shearston and her team analyzed 30 tampon products from 14 brands, testing for 16 different metals, including arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, manganese, nickel, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc.
Alarmingly, traces of all 16 metals were detected in the samples including hazardous ones like arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and vanadium. Lead showed the highest toxicity levels, with a geometric mean of 120 nanograms per gram, while zinc had the highest overall concentration at 52,000 ng/g.
The presence of metals was consistent across all types of tampons, regardless of whether they were organic, non-organic, store-brand, or name-brand. Interestingly, non-organic tampons had higher levels of lead, while organic products showed higher arsenic concentrations.
The study authors warn that tampon use could be a previously overlooked source of metal exposure. Toxic metals have been linked to serious health issues such as cancer, infertility, diabetes, and dementia, as well as damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and various bodily systems, including cardiovascular and nervous systems. However, it remains unclear what specific health impacts these metals might have when absorbed through tampon use.
“Further research is essential to confirm these findings and determine whether metals can leach from tampons into the bloodstream through the vaginal epithelium,” the researchers explained.
The study also calls for stricter regulations requiring tampon manufacturers to test their products for harmful metals. “It would be encouraging to see public demand for better labeling and more transparency from menstrual product companies,” said Shearston.
In the meantime, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises only wearing tampons during menstruation, changing them every four to eight hours, and never exceeding eight hours of use.
The study was published in Environment International.
