Antibacterial Personal Care Products Doing More Harm Than Good, Latest Study Suggests

Triclosan, the antibacterial agent used in many personal care products, interferes with the community of bacteria that compose our microbiome, according to a study by Oregon State University scientists. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study focused on adult zebrafish that were exposed to either normal food or food with triclosan for up to seven days. Results showed exposure to triclosan was connected to significant changes in the diversity and structure of the fish's microbiome. Triclosan has been linked to bacteria resistance, hormone disruption, and possibly even liver cancer by previous studies, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewing the new research.