An antimicrobial agent in toothpaste and soap does not have significant impact on humans' gut microbiome, a new study has found.
Specifically, triclosan — an antibiotic most commonly found in personal hygiene products — was found to have no notable effects on microbial communities and even in the endocrine system, which is responsible for metabolism, growth and chemical processes.
"For people who are very fearful of triclosan, this study should be reassuring," said lead study author Julie Parsonnet from Stanford University.
Investigating The Effects Of Triclosan
To investigate, the team randomly assigned 13 healthy subjects to use personal hygiene and household products that either contain or do not contain triclosan.
After four months, the researchers switched the products that each group had used. They then obtained blood samples from the participants and looked for endocrine and metabolic function indicators. They also collected urine samples to determine triclosan levels, and stool and oral specimens for microbiome composition.
Findings showed that while those who used triclosan products had significant levels of the substance in their urine samples, exposure did not produce any notable effects on oral and gut microbiome or on endocrine markers.
Parsonnet confirmed that there were some changes noted, but ultimately, there was no major alteration in both the oral and gut flora.
Limelight On Triclosan
Parsonnet acknowledges that triclosan has been a source of fear for many people because it is considered an antibiotic. Most antibiotics that are administered in the body serve as an atom bomb for microbiota.
Exposure to triclosan has been widespread ever since it was first integrated into common household products in the 1960s. In fact, recent investigations found that as of 2008, triclosan has been identified in about 75 percent of human urine specimens.
Changes in human microbiome composition have been associated with metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.
Aside from endocrine implications, there has also been a rising concern about triclosan possibly causing antimicrobial resistance.
Concerns about triclosan have become so apparent that in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed protocol to necessitate manufacturers of triclosan-containing products to give evidence within a year that these products are safer and more effective than plain ones.
Since this rule was released, triclosan has been removed from commercial products being sold in the U.S. However, the agent remains in some hospital-cleaning aids and in the most common toothpaste in the U.S., which is Colgate Total.
The study was published in the open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, mSphere.
