Swedish Women

With the swine flu as catchy in the news media as it is in humans, Americans are trying their best to keep germs of their hands and bodies. Triclosan is one germ-killing ingredient that has been touted for its ability to do just that. The chemical is present in hundreds of antibacterial toiletries and kitchen products. It has been widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, and has even been incorporated into odor-killing cloth and plastic items such as cutting boards and baby changing stations in public restrooms.

But the chemical that is killing "99.9%" of germs doesn't do something you might assume it would: it doesn't kill viruses. It also has a few side effects...

For example, for the last several years, the main concern over triclosan has been that it would contribute to the rise of superbugs. But now there is a newer concern: studies are proving it to be an endocrine disruptor, including interrupting thyroid function. More