FDA: "Anti-bacterial soaps are BAD!"

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http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-orders-antibacterials-removed-consumer-soaps-n642036

Apparently, there's an ingredient in them, that messes-up our hormones----and, I've seen "hormonal imbalance" several places (articles), in the past couple of days, and it's looking like a hormonal imbalance may also cause neurological problems.

As a chemist, I agree that they are potentially bad, but for a different reason. The problem that I have with anti-bacterial soaps is that they are way overused. People tend to pick them over regular soaps because it "kills bacteria so it must be better"....

Ahh, but there is a catch to this: By constantly using anti-bacterial soaps, it allows bacteria the chance to build up resistance to the anti-bacterial compounds within the soaps. Those bacteria that do not get killed by the active ingredient can pass on their genes to further generations which leads to superbugs - very resistant strains that are quite hard to kill. Some of those can mutate further to become quite deadly, even though the starting bacteria form was not. Plus the fact that not all bacteria are "bad" for us. If we did not have certain "good" bacteria in our systems at all times, we cannot function normally. Anti-bacterial ingredients do not differentiate between the two types.

I have had friends who worked with resistant strains of bacteria in their research labs and they had to go out of their way to get rid of any potential materials that might have come into contact with said bacteria. These types of soaps are not strong enough to kill them alone, they are that resistant. My friends just used good old soap and water in the cleaning process, not with any of the fancy anti-bacterial stuff. Anything that is disposable gets autoclaved. What does do the trick of killing the very resistant ones (so far) is a combination of UV radiation and silver ions. However, it may come a day when even that will not stop them.

^^ Yeah, I've never continued to use these types of soaps. I tried them when they first came-out, but they seemed so harsh (like a layer of skin was being stripped-away each time, I used it); and, as a layman and knowing that we need to build-up resistance to bacteria, I felt these soaps were too much (like, "over-kill", or something). It's interesting that you said your friends used just "good old soap and water", instead of anti-bacterial soap, to clean their labs.

I also think it's strange that it's okay to put this chemical in TOOTHPASTE (thus, in your mouth), but not use it on your hands!!

Also, I wanted to add that "NBC Nightly News" made it a POINT to say that this ONLY applied to anti-bacterial SOAPS, and not hand-sanitizers.

Depending on what kind of spices I use, in lactofermentation (pickling), the culture of "good" acidophilus bacteria will never grow. There is no natural substance, which selectively favors one kind of microbe, over another.

I philosophically prefer natural remedies and have considered the distillation of natural oils from common, desert plants. I am learning to make alembics, have an oil press, could literally have my own, natural soaps, which may someday become a useful skill, maybe, sooner rather than later.

But, there is something to be said for convenience -- especially, when cleaning a flesh wound.

The everyday, synthetic, grocery-store selection does prevent gross infections.

Exercise, eating, and rest are shown to balance hormones.

Poor sanitation is shown to spread contagious diseases, still very much in existence, since ancient times.

My relatives, to the north, get pink and beige, bacterial water, from a communal cistern, and have to purify that. Disncorporated settlements in the desert have open sewer lines, flowing past backyard fences. And, what I am getting from this story is that cheap toiletries are no longer part of the social contract. If I look, right now, I can probably find stories on deodorants and toilet paper causing environmental catastrophes and grave illness.

What kind of soap and restrooms, will they be using, while telling you not to use it. Just being pragmatic, here.

I have been using anti-bacterial soap exclusively for the last 20 or 30 years, and it hasn't killed me yet. If it weren't outlawed I would continue to use anti-bacterial soap, at least until I have a better evidence then this, that it's bad.

If you could break down an inert substance, and suspend it in solution, if you were to use common substances, from around the house, or even your own body fluids, in an experiment, if they were to be present at the wrong place and time, they could disrupt biological processes, in a petri dish or microscope slide.

We are being told not to expect essentials, such remunerative employment, passable roads, single family homes, electricity, and traditional groceries.

For instance, BPA byproducts are supposed to be estrogenic, but testosterone is supposed to skyrocket after a hard stint on the treadmill.

I favor the Paleo diet, respect that all protein need not come from meat, and that my allowances (for an ogre) need not be the same as a Barbie doll.

We talk about anti-vitamins and environtmental stressors as though they are cumulative, yet we can eliminate and heal.

imhblo, standing for long periods, sweating, and the light of day, can also be damaging.

Triclosan a common antibacterial ingredient needs to sit with bacteria for like 2 and a half hours before it kills them. Clearly it won't be in contact that long if you are using it as soap that you immediately wash down the drain, so claiming that it helps kill bacteria is a fradulent claim, it is not better than regular soap and warm water.

I still don't understand the convervative loyalty compulsion to sacrifice their health/safety for the will of some corporation that doesn't give a damn about them. I mean I could see if there was some selfish reason like if you had stock options in that particular company, or they paid your paycheck, but even in the absence of these motivations a right winger will always support a corporation that can make an extra dime even if its at the expense of the right winger themselves. I don't understand what drives such behaviour, and I doubt I ever will.

Bacteria is a necessity. You need it. About the only bacteria an antibacterial soap does not kill are the really bad ones.

Just as strange as an antibiotic. You need biotics.

The best cleaner in the world is water. The best additive is dirt.

The best thing to injest instead of an antibiotic is fasting (nothing). The next best thing is to stop eating crap food.