--- title: Triclosan Antibacterial Soap and Gut Bacteria description: Triclosan, which is found in antibacterial soap and toothpaste, among other things, is linked to disruption in the gut microbiome a new study shows. canonical: https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-05-18T18:22:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T17:37:56.679Z article:section: Health og:title: Triclosan Antibacterial Soap and Gut Bacteria og:description: Triclosan, which is found in antibacterial soap and toothpaste, among other things, is linked to disruption in the gut microbiome a new study shows. og:url: https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc007f74e2e7981fe/698893adbc6cfc7a4a3dd07e/washing-hands.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Caucasian woman washing her hands og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Triclosan Antibacterial Soap and Gut Bacteria twitter:description: Triclosan, which is found in antibacterial soap and toothpaste, among other things, is linked to disruption in the gut microbiome a new study shows. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc007f74e2e7981fe/698893adbc6cfc7a4a3dd07e/washing-hands.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Case Against Antibacterial Soap Is Getting Stronger > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ea8cb085-ff7e-477b-b97c-322b13f02a06&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ea8cb085-ff7e-477b-b97c-322b13f02a06&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=ea8cb085-ff7e-477b-b97c-322b13f02a06&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ea8cb085-ff7e-477b-b97c-322b13f02a06&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin May 18, 2016 6:22 PM UTC  Caucasian woman washing her hands Caucasian woman washing her hands Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin May 18, 2016 6:22 PM UTC If you wash your hands in public restrooms, brush your teeth and wear antiperspirant, you’ve come in contact with [triclosan](http://time.com/4035442/antibacterial-soap-ineffective/), an antibacterial used in many personal care products. But mounting evidence, [much but not all of it done on animals](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945593/), has linked triclosan to [bacteria resistance](http://time.com/4114345/antibiotic-resistance-common-myths/), hormone disruption, and [possibly even liver cancer](http://time.com/3589572/triclosan-liver-tumors-mice/). These studies were published after the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates personal care products, deemed it generally recognized as safe (GRAS), but in light of the new evidence, [the agency is currently reviewing the new research](http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm205999.htm). Now a new study done in zebrafish suggests triclosan also messes with our gut—interfering with the community of bacteria that makes up our microbiome. In the new study, published Wednesday in the journal _PLOS ONE_, researchers at Oregon State University exposed 45 adult zebrafish to either normal food or food with triclosan for up to seven days. After that, the researchers analyzed the microbiomes of the fish and found that exposure was linked to significant shifts in the diversity and structure of the fish’s microbiome. “Consider the diversity of chemicals we consume on a daily basis, any of which could have an unpredictable impact on the gut microbiome,” says study author Thomas Sharpton, an assistant professor of microbiology and statistics in the OSU Colleges of Science and Agricultural Sciences. “By using zebrafish, which is inexpensive to grow in high volume and grows rapidly, we can relatively easily screen for those chemicals that disrupt the microbiome.” Sharpton says the chemicals or ingredients that cause a change in the microbiome in fish can then be followed-up for effects in mice or humans. Zebrafish are not humans, of course, but Sharpton says zebrafish are widely used to study environmental chemical exposures, and that his findings merit further research into the effects of triclosan on the human microbiome. While the levels of triclosan in products are usually deemed too low to cause the most severe forms of disease linked to the ingredient, the study authors note that research is increasingly connecting the microbiome to health, and that disruption of the body’s bacterial make-up could contribute to a variety of diseases. [Another September 2015 study](http://time.com/4035442/antibacterial-soap-ineffective/) published in the _Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy_ found that the antibacterial cleansing formulas do not kill more bacteria than soap and water, which is a good option for people who want to prevent exposure. The study did not determine whether changes in the microbiome observed in the study causes disease, but Sharpton says his team is looking at the effects of varying levels of triclosan on the gut microbiome to attempt to answer that question. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/"},"headline":"The Case Against Antibacterial Soap Is Getting Stronger","datePublished":"2016-05-18T18:22:33.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T17:37:56.679Z","description":"A new animal study adds to the growing evidence","url":"https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/","keywords":["microbiome"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc007f74e2e7981fe/698893adbc6cfc7a4a3dd07e/washing-hands.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc007f74e2e7981fe/698893adbc6cfc7a4a3dd07e/washing-hands.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Caucasian woman washing her hands","caption":"Caucasian woman washing her hands","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/microbiome/","name":"microbiome"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/","name":"The Case Against Antibacterial Soap Is Getting Stronger"}}]}] ```