Mercy's Dr. Jehan Riar Discusses Research Indicating Toxic Metals in Tampons

A new study has found toxic metals, including arsenic and lead, in over a dozen popular tampon brands. The negative health effects of these metals can vary from damage to the cardiovascular, nervous or endocrine systems to liver, kidney and even brain damage.

This could lead to an increased risk of dementia and cancer, as well as the potential to harm maternal health and fetal development.

According to Jehan Riar, M.D., a board-certified primary care doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians at Lutherville, this could be concerning.

"It is concerning and something women around the world should be wondering about," Dr. Riar said.

She explained that to be dangerous, these heavy metals have to be at toxic levels and they have to exposed to your body for a long time.

"For lead poisoning or mercury poisoning, these sorts of things, there's so many compounding factors," Dr. Riar added.

She further explained that a lot of her patients have started using menstrual cups as an alternative to tampons and pads.

View Mercy primary care physician Dr. Jehan Riar’s interview regarding toxic metals found in tampons.