An FDA study detected trace amounts of several metals, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic in tampons sold in the U.S.
Researchers estimated how much of those metals could be released during use and evaluated the potential health risk.
The analysis concluded that the levels released are not expected to pose a significant toxicological concern for consumers.
Many people rely on tampons every month without giving much thought to what's in them.
But after earlier research raised questions about the presence of metals in menstrual products, scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted their own investigation to better understand whether those findings translate into a meaningful health risk.
The FDA researchers looked for metals in tampons currently sold in the United States, and just as importantly, estimated how much of those metals could actually be released during normal use.
How researchers evaluated the products
The study analyzed 11 tampon products representing six brands and five manufacturers. The products included a range of materials, absorbencies, price points and organic claims.
Researchers tested both the total amount of metals present and the amount that could potentially be released under laboratory conditions designed to simulate a worst-case scenario.
Using a technique called inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the team measured 19 different metals. They then performed extraction testing by exposing the tampons to acidified water at an elevated temperature for 24 hours. Those results were used in a toxicological risk assessment based on FDA guidance and international standards, allowing researchers to estimate lifetime exposure and calculate safety margins for each detected metal.
What the findings mean for consumers
The researchers detected trace levels of several metals, including arsenic, cadmium, and lead.
However, they found that only a fraction of the metals present in the tampons would be released under the testing conditions, and the estimated exposure levels remained well below thresholds that would be expected to cause harmful health effects.
The FDA concluded that the margins of safety for all detected metals indicated a negligible toxicological concern. Mercury was not detected in the extraction testing, and the agency reported that its risk assessment did not identify metal-related safety concerns associated with tampon use.
For consumers, the findings offer additional context following earlier reports about metals in menstrual products. While the study confirms that trace metals can be present, the FDA's analysis suggests that the amount likely to be released during tampon use is very low and is not expected to pose a health risk based on the agency's assessment.
The FDA notes that tampons are regulated as medical devices and recommends using the lowest absorbency needed for your menstrual flow, changing tampons regularly, and following the instructions provided with the product. These practices help reduce the risk of complications such as toxic shock syndrome while supporting safe tampon use.