Worried about titanium dioxide in tampons?
Here’s what experts want you to know about the ingredient that’s getting heat on TikTok and beyond.
Now, people onTikTokand elsewhere are questioning whether titanium dioxide belongs in tampons and pads, too.
(The FDA says that manufacturers can haveno more than 1 percent TiO2 in food.)
However, titanium dioxide isnt just a popular ingredient in food.
Its unclear exactly how many brands use TiO2 in their menstrual products.
fertility specialist and founder of theTUSHY methodof egg fertilization
(Thats slowly changing afterNew York passed a lawrequiring ingredients lists on menstrual products sold in the state).
So the million-dollar question: is it safe to have titanium dioxide in pads and tampons?
What are the potential adverse health effects of titanium dioxide?
The potential risks of titanium dioxide vary depending on the method of exposure, says Dr. Eyvazzadeh.
Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD
Thereissome evidence to suggest that titanium dioxide may have a carcinogenic effect in some formats.
Other human studies, however, havenot found any clear link between lung cancerand titanium dioxide.
As for the potential risks (or lack thereof!)
of using pads and tampons with titanium dioxide…we just dont know for certain.
So what do you do instead?
fertility specialist and founder of theTUSHY methodof egg fertilization
Some experts say that theres no need to lose sleep over having titanium dioxide in tampons.
Dr. Eyvazzadeh and Flynn agree that its okay to approach the ingredient with caution.
Fortunately, many new waveperiod-care companiesare extremely transparent about their ingredients lists.
Its also worth being skeptical of any definitive claims that titanium dioxide in tampons is super harmful.
As Dr. Eyvazzadeh points out, we just dont know either wayno matter how certain Becky on TikTok seems.
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