What Are The Health Hazards of Sanitizers And Disinfectants? You must be awestruck. Right? No doubt, the title is enough to leave you baffled, especially now when we are getting familiar to the terms like pandemic (something bigger and more hazardous than epidemic), community infection, lockdown, quarantine, etc. Despite the fact we are suggested to wash our hands with sanitizers even in case of regular flu and other infectious diseases, the truth is, sanitizers can also do worse if used too frequently. And we all know that that the truth is stranger than fiction.
Now, the fact, on the other hand, can’t be denied altogether that to defend us from the increasing and alarming pollution, these handy and portable packs of sanitizers and disinfectants are the right solution. At the same time, you must keep in mind the health hazards that may damage your constitution due to the overuse of sanitizers.
What Are The Health Hazards of Sanitizers And Disinfectants?
Beware Of Triclosan – An Agent Present In Sanitizers
Here in this article, we will make you aware of some consequences which occur due to the presence of Triclosan in your sanitizers.
Destroys the Bacterial Defense
In simpler terms, Triclosan is an agent in some consumer products to prevent bacterial infection. Also, Triclosan helps antibiotics to be resistant against bacteria, and the contribution of this agent becomes harmful when it destroys the bacteria in our constitution indiscriminately. The presence of Triclosan in sanitizers lowers immunity by killing the good bacteria. A study by EIS (Epidemic Intelligence Service) in 2011 revealed that employees of health care institutions were more exposed to coronavirus epidemic more than any other person.
Disturbs the Hormonal Balance
Another alarming effect of Triclosan is the antimicrobial agent. It disturbs the pattern the hormones work in our physical constitution. An experiment by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on the rats showed it is responsible for the concentration of testosterone hormones in male rats, and at the same time, it affected the balance of estrogen in female Wistar Rats. It raised a concern that it may affect the human constitution as well.
Increases the Absorption Of BPA
Let us be clear about it. BPA stands for Bisphenol A, and this chemical is used in producing all hard plastic, including containers, used for most foods and beverages. It imitates our hormones in a way that upsets the natural flow of endocrine. It indulges the occurrence of diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infertilities, etc. Most of sanitizers contain chemicals that make your skin quite vulnerable, and thus, it allows the penetration of lipophilic compounds.
BPA is one of them. Let us talk about an experiment that will make you aware of the health hazards caused due to the use of sanitizers. We all have seen the receipt papers. Right? But a study done by the researchers of Missouri showed that the receipt papers contain a huge amount of BPA. An experiment was carried out to decide whether using sanitizers increases the absorption of the chemicals. The outcome of the study was alarming. It revealed that if you use the disinfectant before you touch the receipt papers, the absorption of BPA increases by 100 folds. This creates developmental problems in children and affects adults in several ways.
Are Your Sanitizers Aromatic?
Are you charmed by the scents of your sanitizers? Then it’s threatening! Are you pondering about the link between the aroma and health hazards caused by the disinfectants you carry to keep yourself away from germs? Well, know this for sure that not only the sanitizer you use but also any cosmetic that overwhelms you with the fragrance is overloaded with chemicals. And most of them are detrimental to your health. You do not even know that the presence of Phthalates, an endocrine that disrupter makes your sanitizers aromatic. You may be impressed by the synthetic fragrance; however, your hormones do not entertain this toxic chemical.
In a nutshell, it is suggested not to use the sanitizers until and unless you need it. Most importantly, you must remember that using it before consuming your food is also a big NO. If you are obsessed with cleanliness, you must take the pain of carrying a bottle of water and a general soap to avoid the health hazards derived from the use of sanitizers.