A recent study about tampons is alarming consumers. The research, published in the journal Environment International, found evidence of 16 different metals, including arsenic and lead, in a wide range of tampons sold in the U.S. and Europe. However, several experts say the study is no reason to panic.

What did the study uncover?
Researchers tested tampons from 14 different brands purchased in the U.S., U.K. and Greece for 16 different heavy metals and found an average of "100 nanograms per gram of lead and 2 nanograms per gram of arsenic in the tampons," Kathrin Schilling, a study co-author and an assistant professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, said to CNN. There was "no detectable level of chromium and no detectable level of mercury, which is very good." Organic tampons had higher levels of arsenic, while nonorganic tampons had higher levels of lead.

The study was unable to determine if the heavy metals could pass from the tampon into the body, meaning it's still unknown whether there are potential health impacts. Levels of the toxic chemicals found were low, and two prior studies by the same team did not find significantly higher levels of metals in the blood of women who used tampons as compared to those who did not. Still, "arsenic shouldn't be present in tampons at all, and we don't yet understand the effects of vaginal exposure since it hasn't been studied," Schilling said. 

Are tampons safe to use? 
Many experts say these findings are not as extreme as they might seem. "There's small amounts of these metals found, really, everywhere," Dr. Bethany Samuelson Bannow, an associate professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, said to The New York Times.

Vaginal tissue is very permeable, so if metals did leach into the body, it could be a significant problem, said Anna Pollack, an associate professor at George Mason University, to CNN. However, there's "no reason for people to be afraid to use menstrual products at this time," and tampon users should "just be aware of the issue and monitor any research that develops."

As President Joe Biden has stressed repeatedly in the weeks following his disastrous debate performance, the incumbent has no intention to step aside and cede the Democratic presidential nomination, no matter how much a growing number from within his party may want him to. That has given way to a sense that the controversy over Biden's age and mental acuity may not simply be harming his campaign but also those of down-ballot Democrats. 

'This could be a problem'
Lackluster enthusiasm for Biden means local Democratic candidates will have to "heavily rely on community issues," said Republican strategist Susan Del Percio on MSNBC. Moreover, depressed turnout will force candidates to "develop a stronger get-out-the-vote operation than typical," which they "probably aren't used to setting up." 
Candidates running in solidly blue districts are probably "not worried about this," said Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) to Axios. But for Democrats hoping to flip seats in "marginal" districts, "this could be a problem."

Many Democrats running for local office have "long known that Biden could drag down their own support," with some "working to separate themselves from the president" well before last month's debate, The Wall Street Journal said. Party strategists now worry that his debate showing could potentially offset the "work that down-ballot Democrats have done to try to win despite Biden's historically low approval ratings."

Republicans have "looked to seize the moment" and prey on those Democratic concerns, recently releasing an ad that "linked Democrats to Biden's debate performance" featuring battleground Senate candidates, said The Associated Press. 

Ticket-splitting
While some Democrats have publicly aired fears of a party-wide wipeout as part of their justification for calling on Biden to end his reelection campaign, not everyone is so downbeat about down-ticket races. In part, that's due to several state and local candidates running well ahead of Biden, leading to "speculation that November could see the highest levels of ticket-splitting in years," The Hill said. Support for Democratic House and Senate candidates could "actually grow if voters want a check on a Trump presidency they see as likely," said Amy Walter, the editor and publisher of Cook Political Report, to The Wall Street Journal.