(All this, after weve already gone through that wholetampon-shrinkflationscare too!)
To our knowledge, this is the first paper to measure metals in tampons.
Concerningly, we found concentrations of all metals we tested for, including toxic metals like arsenic and lead.
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The mere idea of arsenic in tampons is certainly concerning.
But how worried should we really be?
The body has mechanisms to handle and eliminate small amounts of these substances.
According to Dr. Shah, there is a big difference between high levels of exposure and trace amounts.
The reported concentrations found in tampons are significantly lower than levels known to cause harm, he says.
The bodys natural detoxification processes are usually capable of handling small quantities of these substances without adverse effects.
However, its important to approach this information with a balanced perspective.
In short, you may not want to throw awayallof your tampons just yet.
Dr. Shah recommends staying informed about any future studies.
The truth about toxic shock syndrome.
If youre concerned about using tampons,menstrual cupsandperiod underwearcan be a wonderful alternative.
This post was originally published inGlamour UK.
