Study was funded by grants from Trump-Musk targeted federal agency
By Juan Siliezar, Associate Director of Media Relations
and Leadership Communications, Brown University School of Public Health
New research suggests there may be even more reason for
concern.
A study led by scientists at Brown University and the
University of Massachusetts Amherst found that children with higher levels of
triclosan in their bodies were more likely to have allergy-related health
issues, with young boys appearing most affected.
Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the
study followed 347 mothers and their children from pregnancy through
the kids’ 12th birthdays. As part of the Cincinnati-based Health Outcomes and
Measures of the Environment Study, researchers analyzed urine samples collected
up to 10 times over that period to assess triclosan exposure in children.
They found that children with higher levels of the chemical
were more likely to develop allergic conditions like eczema and hay fever, a
common allergy that causes sneezing, congestion and itchy eyes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Research for such research is endangered. Not only has the Trump regime cancelled millions in science research grants to Brown, but also the agencies that fund such research have had their budgets poll-axed and staffs drastically cut. Click HERE for a 74-page list of grants terminated by Bobby Kennedy Junior's Department of Health and Human Services. We might not see research like this for the duration of Trump's reign. - Will Collette
“The research showed a clear connection between this chemical and the allergic conditions we looked at,” said study senior author Joseph Braun, a professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Climate, Environment and Health at Brown University’s School of Public Health. “What that all means is antimicrobial chemical exposure during susceptible periods of life, childhood in this case, might increase the risk of allergic disease.”
The study found that children with twice the level of
triclosan in their urine were 23% more likely to report eczema symptoms. This
risk increased to nearly 40% by the time they were 8 to 12 years old.
Similarly, children with twice the level of triclosan were 12% more likely to
have symptoms of hay fever. Boys whose mothers had higher levels of
triclosan during pregnancy were more likely than girls to show allergy
symptoms.
The same reasons that make triclosan a health concern are in
part what made it popular, said Hannah Laue, lead author of the study and an
assistant epidemiology professor at UMass Amherst.
“Triclosan is effective at killing many bacteria, fungi and
viruses,” Laue said. “While that’s useful for extending product shelf life or
reducing odors in athletic wear, it can be harmful to humans. Our bodies rely
on beneficial microbes to aid digestion and protect against pathogens. Exposure
to triclosan may disrupt that healthy balance, leaving us more vulnerable to
disease.”
Laue added that triclosan can also interfere with hormonal
systems.
“Some chemicals, including triclosan, can mimic or block
hormones, potentially throwing essential systems into overdrive or shutting
them down,” she said. “Triclosan has also been linked to reduced thyroid
hormone levels, which are critical for healthy growth and development.”
A persistent antimicrobial
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned triclosan from
over-the-counter hand soaps in 2016. Since then, many companies have
voluntarily removed it from toothpaste and other products. Yet the chemical is
still found in some consumer goods, including antimicrobial cutting boards,
personal care items and clothing. Manufacturers are not required to list
triclosan on product labels.
The new study is part of an effort by Braun’s team to
understand how antimicrobial chemicals affect children’s health. Working with
Laue and others, the group has focused on the health effects of triclosan for
the last three years, and they plan to track the young study participants into
adulthood. The researchers are especially interested in how triclosan might
disrupt the gut microbiome, which helps regulate immune responses, and what
that means for adolescent and long-term health outcomes.
Braun and Laue hope this body of research will encourage
both consumers and manufacturers to make safer choices.
“We hope that this will prompt companies to consider using
safer antimicrobial chemicals or avoiding them altogether in their products,”
Braun said. “Some companies do offer products that are labeled
‘triclosan-free.’ But we need better regulations to protect people from harmful
chemicals.”
The study was supported by the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences and the National Center for Advancing
Translational Sciences. Additional Brown University authors included Elvira
Fleury, who earned a master of public health from Brown in 2024 and is now a
doctoral student at Harvard University.
