A study has found some tampons leach low levels of chemicals which disrupt hormones, regardless of being synthetic or organic.
Senior author Professor Alison Heather, of the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka Department of Physiology and Chief Scientific Officer of biotech start-up InsituGen, says these estrogen-like chemicals are increasingly being linked to reproductive and hormonal health effects.
Professor Alison Heather
"Safety testing of tampons has historically focused on absorbency, irritation, and infection, rather than their impact on hormones.
"However, there is a growing concern that plasticisers, fragrances, and other additives in menstrual products may be an overlooked source of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals," she says.
For the study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, researchers tested 18 tampon products in a laboratory setting, from multiple brands and countries, to determine if tampons did leach these chemicals, and if there were brand-to-brand differences.
They found about half of them – both synthetic and organic – leached low levels of estrogen-like chemicals.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can mimic, block or alter the signaling of natural hormones in the body, leading to hormonal imbalance. This can result in endometriosis, uterine fibroids, disruption of menstrual cycles, and an increased risk of breast cancer.
Professor Heather says the study does not show tampons are unsafe, rather it highlights it is possible to manufacture them free of detectable estrogenic activity.
"The fact that some tampons tested showed no detectable estrogenic activity tells us safer formulations are entirely achievable."
She believes menstrual products deserve the same modern safety assessment we now expect for other consumer products.
"We would like to see the industry move towards safer by design formulations that avoid known endocrine-disrupting chemicals and minimize the overall chemical load. We would also like to see regulatory guidance updated so that menstrual products are evaluated not only for microbiological safety and irritation but also for endocrine-related endpoints."
Professor Heather views the study as a starting point on the topic.
"The estrogenic signals we observed were low and measured in vitro, and we do not know what they mean for real-world health outcomes, especially given the complexity of menstrual cycles and the many other sources of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
"However, our findings reinforce the need to treat these chemicals as a long-term ecological and public health issue, and to consider sources and the impact of exposure over a person's lifetime.
"We believe further research into tampons is required, along with better transparency, and more comprehensive safety testing of menstrual products going forward," she says.
Publication:
Estrogenic activity in tampon products
Emma S. Sutherland, Gihani Manodara, Ashley Gillon, Kelsey L. Stevens, Alexia Kauff, and Alison K. Heather
Journal of the Endocrine Society
https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvag094
