Is Hand Sanitizer Worth the Hype?

Hand sanitizer is widely used in America because we live in a culture afraid of germs and getting sick. I see it all the time -- people carry it in their bags, schools have bottles in every classroom, and don't even get me started about the requirements for medical professionals. The party line of hand sanitizers is that they're "99.9% effective for killing all germs." While that may be true, it's not necessarily a good thing.

There's no doubt that sanitation is important. Access to clean water and proper sewer systems drastically changed the spread of disease in America. But in today's society, we've over exaggerated the importance of being squeaky clean all the time by showering every day, washing our hands constantly, and using hand sanitizer.

Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi Play Instrumental Roles in Your Gut Microbiome

When I refer to your microbiome, I'm talking about the trillions of bacteria housed in your gut. The human body's microorganisms outnumber human cells by 10 to 1. It's estimated that up to 3% of your body weight is just bacteria -- so for the average 150 lb person, that's about 4.5 lbs of bacteria!

Before you get grossed out by that, not all of that bacteria is bad. Everyone has beneficial gut bacteria (probiotics) that are vital in:

• Lowering inflammation
• Eliminating toxins
• Preventing overgrowth of bad bacteria
• Reducing risk of allergies
• Regulating hormone production
• Maintaining good mental health

To keep these probiotics thriving, your immune system relies on constant exposure to different kinds of bacteria from your environment. The more you repeatedly expose yourself to different strains of bacteria, the more diverse your microbiome becomes. Diversity is important in your body's ability to fight infection and for you to reap the benefits stated above.

Hand Sanitizer is Killing Our Good Bacteria

Remember before when I said hand sanitizer kills 99.9% of germs? This includes the healthy bacteria needed to maintain a balanced microbiome. We are killing the bacteria that's vital for our health when we use hand sanitizer, antibacterial soap, and antibacterial cleaning products. Without exposure to these beneficial bacteria, our gut becomes less diverse and less equipped to fight disease.

Hand Sanitizer Lowers Your Immune System

Studies have shown that Americans have far less microbial diversity when compared to indigenous people who do not use antibiotics and Western sanitation practices. You can think of our microbiomes as ghost towns compared to the bustling, populous, big city microbiomes found in indigenous cultures.

As biodiversity lowers, there is an increase in incidences of autoimmune chronic illness like allergies, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis. We have quite literally wiped out important species of gut bacteria that are critical in preventing these conditions.

Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

The overuse of hand sanitizer, antibacterial products, and antibiotics is also contributing to the public health crisis. When we continually expose bacteria to these products, the bacteria mutates and becomes resistant to antibiotics. You may have heard these antibiotic resistant bacteria referred to as "superbugs."

Not only are these superbugs claiming people's lives, but they're putting a huge burden on our healthcare system. It's estimated that antibiotic resistant infections alone cost the American healthcare system somewhere around $20 billion per year.

Handwashing is More Effective Than Hand Sanitizer

Handwashing is your best defense against infection. Rubbing your hands together with soap will loosen the bacteria and viruses, the water will rinse it off, and drying your hands with a clean towel should take care of the rest. It's still important to practice good handwashing technique:

• Use warm water
• Use a mild soap
• Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds, making sure to scrub between fingers, front and back of hands, wrists, and under fingernails
• Rinse hands under warm water
• Use a clean towel or air dry

A Note About Antibacterial Soap

Antibacterial soap does not have any added benefit when compared to non-antibacterial soap. With hand washing, rubbing your hands together to remove bacteria is just as effective as killing the bacteria with antibacterial soap, but without all of the harmful side effects. Just use the regular soap.

The Takeaway

Stay away from traditional hand sanitizers! Always opt for hand washing with mild, non-antibacterial soap when you need to clean your hands. Your gut and immune system will thank you.

If you know you have touched something that may have harmful bacteria and you don't have access to a sink to wash your hands, opt for cleaner sanitizers such as Dr. Bronner's or Everyone brand. They don't contain the harmful ingredients that traditional hand sanitizers have and they'll leave your hands cleaner than before.