Being too clean makes you sick

It seems being too clean is the sign of a sick person.

A new study by a team from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in the US has found that young people who are overexposed to antibacterial soaps containing triclosan may suffer more allergies.

And exposure to higher levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) may adversely affect the immune system among adults, found the study to be published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Triclosan is a chemical compound widely used in products such as antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, pens, diaper bags and medical devices, while BPA is found in many plastic items.

Both of these chemicals are in a class of environmental toxicants called endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), which are believed to negatively impact human health by mimicking or affecting hormones.

Using data from a three-year-long national health survey, the researchers compared urinary BPA and triclosan levels with cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody levels and diagnosis of allergies or hay fever in a sample of US adults and children over age 6.

Allergy and hay fever diagnosis and CMV antibodies were used as two separate markers of immune alterations.

“We found that people over age 18 with higher levels of BPA exposure had higher CMV antibody levels, which suggests their cell-mediated immune system may not be functioning properly,” said Erin Rees Clayton, co-author of the study.

Researchers also found that people age 18 and under with higher levels of triclosan were more likely to report diagnosis of allergies and hay fever.

There is growing concern among the scientific community and consumer groups that these EDCs are dangerous to humans at lower levels than previously thought.