Scientists advise us to stop buying antibacterial soap, as it's no more effective than the regular stuff. And, using it introduces a risk of mutation of bacteria. From the article: "The team looked at 27 studies conducted between 1980 and 2006, and found that soaps containing triclosan within the range of concentrations commonly used in the community setting (0.1 to 0.45 percent wt./vol.) were no more effective than plain soaps. Triclosan is used in higher concentrations in hospitals and other clinical settings, and may be more effective at reducing illness and bacteria. Triclosan works by targeting a biochemical pathway in the bacteria that allows the bacteria to keep its cell wall intact. Because of the way triclosan kills the bacteria, mutations can happen at the targeted site... a mutation could mean that the triclosan can no longer get to the target site to kill the bacteria because the bacteria and the pathway have changed form."
2 comments:
I just use dish detergent to refill the hand cleaning soap dispenser. It's cheaper and does the job. I do have some surgical cleanser on hand for serious wounds, bug bites, etc. We seem to have gone overboard on so many things.
I'm a firm believer in that article! Americans are so germophobic that we think we have to kill all bacteria and also we must take antiobiotics the minute we sneeze! We should let our immune system do what it was intended to do.
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