When Clean Is Too Clean

A new report from the University of Michigan School of Public Health suggests that children who are exposed to antibacterial soaps in large quantities may suffer more from allergies if the soaps contain Triclosan. The same study also linked overexposure to Bisphenol A with a negative impact on the adult immune system.

Triclosan is a chemical compound typically used in soaps, toothpaste, pens, diaper bags and medical devices. Bisphenol A (BPA) can be found in many plastics. Both chemicals are considered “endocrine-disrupting compounds” (EDCs), which can cause harm by mimicking or affecting hormones.

According to Erin Rees Clayton, research investigator at the School of Public Health and first author on the paper. ”We found that people over age 18 with higher levels of BPA exposure had higher CMV antibody levels, which suggests their cell-mediated immune system may not be functioning properly.” The paper also found that people under the age of 18 showing higher levels of triclosan expsoure were more likely to complaint of allergies and hay fever.

“The triclosan findings in the younger age groups may support the ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ which maintains living in very clean and hygienic environments may impact our exposure to micro-organisms that are beneficial for development of the immune system,” said Allison Aiello, associate professor at the School of Public Health and principal investigator on the study. “It is possible that a person can be too clean for their own good.”

While previous animal studies linked these chemicals to the immune system, the University of Michigan study is the first known to explore the impact on humans. The paper, “The Impact of Bisphenol A and Triclosan on Immune Parameters in the U.S. Population,” appears online in Environmental Health Perspectives Nov. 30.

Source:  University of Michigan News Service.