If you're an antibacterial-soap junkie, it might be time to cut
back. A three-part study suggests triclosan, a common chemical
found in such products, slows muscle function in both human and
animals. A paper published yesterday outlines the experiments:
Scientists exposed human heart and skeletal muscle cells to
levels of triclosan on par with what we typically encounter on a
daily basis. An electrical stimulus was then applied to force
the cells to contract—which should have happened immediately.
But triclosan interfered with the proteins that enable this
muscle function, leading to what Smithsonian Magazine describes
as "failure." And that could spell trouble for people who have
heart problems. The study also turned to animals, and found that
the grip strength in mice sank up to 18% after being exposed to
one dose of triclosan; minnows who spent a week being exposed to
the chemical couldn't swim as well. It's not just in soap,
either. The ingredient is used in everything from toothpaste to
bedding to cookin