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Key Takeaways
- The FDA found that the levels of metals present in tampons are too low to cause health effects.
- Using the lowest absorbency needed and changing tampons every four to eight hours can reduce infection risks.
- A menstrual cup could be a good alternative to tampons if you’re worried about metal exposure.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a study finding that while tampons may contain trace amounts of metals such as lead and arsenic, the amount released during use “is too small to cause harm.”
Experts say there’s no need to stop using tampons and that practicing proper tampon hygiene is the best way to use them safely.
Are Metals in Tampons Actually Harmful?
The FDA research follows a 2024 study that first identified heavy metals in tampons. Researchers found that tampons from several popular brands may contain lead, arsenic, and other metals. They also noted that the vaginal tissue may absorb toxic chemicals more readily than skin elsewhere on the body.
Metals can infiltrate tampons through several routes, according to Jenni Shearston, PhD, the lead author of the 2024 study and now an assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Cotton used in tampons, for example, could have absorbed metals from water, air, or soil, or from materials added during manufacturing, such as dyes, or even during factory processing.
After that study was published, the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) said that metals can be detected well below levels known to cause harm, and there’s no evidence they can be absorbed through vaginal tissue at concentrations that would cause clinical health effects. The ACMT also noted that the original paper did not measure blood concentrations of metals or demonstrate any health outcomes.
However, Shearston said, “scientific consensus is that there is no safe level of exposure to lead, so even low-level exposures may add up over time to affect health.”
“While we can’t completely remove lead exposure from our lives, menstrual products haven’t been considered an exposure source for lead before. It’s important that we include this in future assessments of acceptable lead risk,” she added.
Tampon Hygiene May Be More Important for Safety
Monica Christmas, MD, director of the Center for Women’s Integrated Health at UChicago Medicine, said she’s not advising her patients to stop using tampons, but people who are concerned could consider using alternatives such as a menstrual cup.
Christmas said the FDA study underscores one key factor in tampon safety: good tampon hygiene.
Leaving a tampon in for too long can increase the risk of toxic shock syndrome, a rare but serious bacterial infection. But the FDA says that cases have declined over the years because tampon labels now advise women to replace a tampon every four to eight hours.
She recommends using the lowest absorbency needed for your menstrual flow and changing tampons regularly. Using a tampon that’s more absorbent than necessary can dry out the vagina and cause tiny tears, which may make it easier for bacteria to enter the body. It’s also important to wash your hands before and after inserting a tampon.
Read the original article on Verywell Health
