A Tale of Two Roommates: Antibacterial Hand Sanitizers

I live with two roommates: Mary, a germaphobe who uses antibacterial hand sanitizers several times a day, and Alex, who completely avoids these products and often eats directly off the floor. Logically, it seems that Mary does a better job protecting herself from illness. However, she contracts a cold almost once a month and has had the flu twice in the past two years. Alex, on the other hand, has not been sick once. Observing this phenomenan has made me wonder: Are antibacterial products really as healthy as they seem? Are we, as a society, better off because of them?

Research suggests no – they may actually be making us sicker. The main area of concern is the development of bacterial resistance and the creation of ‘superbugs’ such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA). One popular cleaning product advertises that it kills 99.9% of illness-causing bacteria. But what happens to the other 0.1%? Bacteria are, of course, living organisms. Expose this one percent to repeated doses of antibiotics and they will genetically mutate into more robust and resistant strains. If this process continues to repeat, eventually you will produce a bacterium that no drug can kill

Researchers have also expressed concern about antibacterials in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis -- which claims that the environment we live in is too clean for children to fully develop their immune systems. Germs are everywhere, and once they breech the barriers of our skin or mucous membranes, it is our immune system that is responsible for fighting off the invaders. However, without regular exposure to microbes, especially in early childhood, the hypothesis asserts that our immune systems do not develop properly, giving a reduced resistance to illness and a susceptibility to “allergic diseases” such as asthma and eczema.

The verdict? Antibacterial cleaners are definitely needed in some situations: in medical operations or in the preparation of raw meat, for example. However, in every day situations, it’s best to aim for cleanliness, not complete sanitation.