Lead, arsenic and other toxic metals found in tampons, study says

Toxic metals have been found in tampons, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, examined 30 tampons from 14 different brands bought from stores in New York, Athens, and London - and two online retailers - between September 2022 and March 2023.

According to the researchers, "measurable concentrations" of all 16 metals they were testing for, including toxic ones such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium, were found in at least one sample. Lead, for which there is no "safe" level of exposure, was found in every sample, the study claims.

However, scientists point out that the harmful metals found "exist in the soil and will ultimately creep into all kinds of products".

The study does not reveal which brands they tested, but they included major and own-brand products, with a small number of organic ones. Each was tested twice to create 60 samples.

The authors warn that with 52% to 86% of women in the US using tampons every month, this could risk such harmful substances being absorbed through their vaginas.

But they note: "Future studies are necessary to assess whether metals can leach out of tampons and become bioaccessible. Thus we cannot speculate on potential harm to the health of menstruators."

Vaginal absorption not certain

Metals can make their way into tampons through various means - by the cotton absorbing contaminated water, air, or soil, or through manufacturers intentionally adding it as part of a pigment, the authors say.

Microbiologist and immunologist Dr Andrea Love stressed the limitations of the study in a reaction post online.

"If they didn't determine what would realistically leach out of tampons during real-world use, they certainly can't make any statements related to potential absorption of those compounds," she said.

The sample size is also "not robust" and "does not represent the millions of tampons on the market", she claimed.

Dr Love added: "The things you touch, wear, eat and inhale have far higher levels of lead than those reported here.

"Why do tampons have lead in them in the first place? Because they are made from cotton which is a plant. Plants in particular take up lead as they grow in soil - which means that plants will contain lead.

"Ideally, we want no arsenic, cadmium, or lead, but the reality is that they're in the soil and will ultimately creep into all kinds of products. This is one reason we need regulation: so people can understand their cumulative risks."

More regulation needed

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Banafsheh Bayati told Vogue: "The surprising factor is not that there are heavy metals in tampons, but that we are only now aware of this fact.

"Women's health is historically underrepresented, understudied, and underfunded.

"This study is incredibly important in highlighting the need to push funding for women's health."

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Jenni Shearston, lead author of the study, said: "Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons.

"To our knowledge, this is the first paper to measure metals in tampons.

"I really hope that manufacturers are required to test their products for metals, especially for toxic metals. It would be exciting to see the public call for this, or to ask for better labelling on tampons and other menstrual products."

The US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said it is reviewing the study.

"All studies have limitations. While the chemical method used indicates these metals are present in the tampons tested in the laboratory, the study does not assess whether any metals are released from tampons when used in the body," it said in a statement.

"It also does not address whether any metal, if released, can be absorbed into the vaginal lining or, subsequently into the bloodstream. We plan to evaluate the study closely, and take any action warranted to safeguard the health of consumers who use these products."

A spokesperson for the UK-based Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association told Sky News: "It's crucial to understand that heavy metals and trace chemicals are not intentionally added to tampons and are not a part of modern absorbent hygiene products.

"Still, they can sometimes be found in products as residuals of the manufacturing process and/or because they are present in the environment. These naturally occurring traces do not pose a risk to human health."

:: This story has been updated since it was first published