A recent study, “Tampons as a source of exposure to metal(loid)s,” has gone viral for finding several toxic materials in tampons. 

Here’s what you need to know:

What did they find?

The study tested 30 tampons from 14 different brands and looked for a variety of 16 metals, notably including arsenic, chromium and lead. All 16 metals were detected. No brand was completely free of the metals, though organic tampons tended to have more arsenic and non-organic ones tended to have more lead.

How did it get there?

Some chemicals such as calcium, nickel and zinc are added to tampons as antimicrobial agents. Other metals may have been absorbed into the cotton as plants take up materials from the soil. Soil can be contaminated through atmospheric deposition, wastewater, chemical runoff, pesticides and fertilizers.

Is it dangerous? 

Maybe. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic exposure to toxic materials like arsenic, chromium and lead can lead to dullness, muscle and abdominal pain, digestive issues, vomiting, convulsions and more.

The metals detected by the study were in extremely small quantities. The amount of lead in one tampon is little more than 2% of the “safe” amount of lead set by the Food and Drug Administration for a bottle of water. 

However, tampons are used for several hours at a time, for days in a row, for years of a woman’s life. Metals do not leave the human body quickly, and long term cumulative exposure can lead to health complications. 

But, as the study notes, there is no research whether metals can leech from tampons and be absorbed into the body. Though metals are present, it cannot be determined whether they are affecting women’s health. 

What brands are safe?

We can’t say. The study did not release the names of the tampon brands it tested. Though lists of “safe” tampon brands have sprung up on the internet, none have been scientifically backed. 

What next?

There’s no definitive proof that you should toss all your tampons in the trash, but do what makes you feel safe. 

“Regulations around tampons are not extensive and do not require regular product testing,” the study says. “Our findings point towards the need for regulations requiring the testing of metals in tampons by manufacturers.”