(ABC 6 News) — Tampon users have taken to Tik Tok to show themselves throwing their unused products straight into the trash!

The panic stems from new research that found traces of toxic metals, including lead and arsenic, in a number of tampons, according to Catherine Roberts, Consumer Reports Health Editor.

“The types of metals found varied somewhat across different brands, but one important finding was that even tampons labeled as “organic” contained traces of these contaminants, particularly arsenic.”

The study didn’t name the brands, but researchers found the toxic metals in over a dozen popular brands of tampons, including some European brands.

Lead exposure can result in serious health problems, such as high blood pressure and reproductive health issues. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and has been associated with an increased risk of multiple cancers.

Doctor Sasha Hernandez of NYU Langone Health says there is an important caveat to the study.

“This is not a study that showed how tampon users absorb these heavy metals, but in the same way that a vagina absorbent, our bodies are actually made to excrete certain levels of heavy metals,” Dr. Hernandez said.

The study says there are several ways metals could end up in tampons, including through its raw materials like cotton which could be contaminated by water, air, or soil during production.

“Tampons need to be much better regulated,” Roberts said. “For instance, manufacturers should be required to test their products for contaminants, including heavy metals. And we need laws that require manufacturers to disclose all the ingredients and additives in their period products.”

If you’d prefer to avoid at least some of the additives present in many brands, you can take a few additional steps when shopping for tampons –

Read labels carefully and pick products with fewer, simpler ingredients.
Look for tampons that don’t contain plastic and avoid fragrance and colorants.