Soap may hold a dirty little secret in the form of a chemical
called triclosan. Used in antiseptic hand soaps, shaving gel,
toothpaste, deodorant and other hygiene products, a new study
has found the chemical can weaken muscle contraction. When
researchers at the University of California at Davis exposed the
individual muscle fibers of fish and mice to triclosan, they
found it impaired the normal contraction mechanism. Both
skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle no longer operated normally,
and this was true when the mice and fish were tested themselves,
or their muscle fibers were examined individually in a test
tube. Mice showed up to a 25 percent reduction in heart function
measured within 20 minutes of exposure to the chemical, as well
as an 18 percent reduction in grip strength -- yes, mice have
grip strength -- for up to 60 minutes after exposure. Fish that
swam in triclosan-tainted water for seven days performed worse
on swimming tests than those that did not. While the evidence
for toxicity is largely bas