Is Talc In Tablets Dangerous?

[ro2124]

Recently was going to buy some tablets but noticed the coating contains talc, which apparently has been linked to cancer. Are these tablets safe to take?

[woofgang]

what were the tablets?

[ro2124]

Just normal aspirin

[Buenchico]

There have been suggestions that inhaling talc might possibly lead to an increased risk of lung cancer but there seems to be little scientific evidence to support the theory. (Even those studies which suggest that there might be a link only relate to massively high exposure levels, such as among miners who dig the stuff out of the ground; there has never been any suggestion that, for example, inhaling a few particles of talc from the air in your bathroom can have any adverse effects)

There have also be suggestions that the use of talcum powder in the genital area might very slightly increase the risk of ovarian cancer in post-menopausal women but scientific studies have been inconclusive.

There has never been any suggestion that ingesting small amounts of talc into your stomach can cause harm and the World Health Organization only classifies talc as carcinogenic if it contains asbestos fibres (which modern forms of talc don't).

I'm frequently amazed that some people seek to avoid alleged carcinogens (which are actually completely harmless) while often happily continuing to consume those classified as 'high-risk' carcinogens by the World Health Organization, such as tobacco, alcohol and processed meats (e.g. ham, bacon and sausages).

[Sqad]

\Are these tablets safe to take?\
Yes.

[ro2124]

@Buenchico
Yes was aware of those other possible cancer issues. Done a bit more research and seems the talc used in tablet is the pure kind, much different from cosmetic talc, so its probably safe in tablets.
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some are probably confusing talc with face powder or similar personal products that are not a pure substance and contain ingredients that might be toxic to ingest.

Pure talc is finely powdered hydrous magnesium silicate and is used as a filler and excipent for pills and tablets. It is also used for dusting tablet molds.

Nutritionally it is nothing more than a small source of dietary magnesium and silicon -- both of which are valuable. Breathing it chronically into the lungs, however, can lead to problems.