Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many plastic containers, receipts and other products, has already been implicated in health problems. Now, new research suggests you could be absorbing more than you realize. Find out the hazards and how to reduce exposure...
A new study provides even more reason to be concerned about bisphenol A (BPA), the estrogen-like chemical found in many everyday plastic products.
Research at the University of Missouri shows daily human exposure to the compound is at higher levels than previously assumed – and not just from food and drink but also via “multiple routes,” including many still-unknown sources.
The researchers say their study also shows, for the first time, that female mice and monkeys metabolize BPA at a similar rate, leading scientists to conclude that earlier studies of the chemical on mice could predict BPA’s health effects on humans.
More than 200 animal studies have shown that BPA can adversely affect health, even in very low doses, says lead author Julia Taylor, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the university’s Division of Biological Sciences. These include diabetes, cancer, sexual dysfunction, obesity, heart disease, and brain-development problems in babies and young children.
“We know that BPA leaches out of products that contain it and that it acts like estrogen in the body,” Taylor says.
The hormone-mimicking chemical is found in several everyday products, including hard plastic items such as baby bottles and food-storage containers, the plastic lining of food and beverage cans, dental sealants and thermal paper used for receipts.
About 8 million pounds of BPA are produced each year, making it one of the world’s most commonly manufactured chemicals.
Researchers say they believe most Americans have BPA in their system. They also argue that it doesn’t pass through the human body within hours, as previously believed. A 2009 University of Rochester study showed the chemical may accumulate in body tissue and fat.
“The UM study provides convincing evidence that BPA is dangerous to our health at current levels of human exposure,” says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., in the Division of Biological Sciences. He recommends regulation to “reduce human exposure to BPA.”
Several states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington, New York and Oregon, have passed bills to reduce BPA exposure, and national legislation has been proposed in Congress.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a maximum dosage of 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight each day. But the scientists argue that most Americans may be getting far greater dosages.
“We’ve assumed that we’re getting BPA from ingesting contaminated food and beverages,” says co-author Patricia Hunt, Ph.D., a professor in the Washington State University School of Molecular Biosciences.
“This [study] indicates there must be other ways in which we’re exposed to this chemical,” she says. “We’re probably exposed to much higher levels than [previously] assumed.”
Whether the chemical circulates in the body long enough to cause health problems is controversial. Due to ethical considerations regarding its toxicity, BPA was tested only once in humans, for a 2002 German study.
In the new study, researchers gave mice and monkeys the same oral dose of BPA daily. They found the BPA remained “biologically active” in the systems of both animals.
The study was published online in the Sept. 20 issue of the National Institutes of Health journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
How to Reduce Your BPA Exposure
Under current regulations, it’s hard to determine if a product has BPA. But here are some tips to reduce your family’s risk:
1. Consume fewer canned foods and drinks.
BPA is commonly used as a lining in food and drink cans. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found the chemical in more than half of name-brand canned goods and soda they tested, including soup, pasta and vegetables.
A 2009 Consumer Reports test also found it in a wide variety of canned products, including – disturbingly – some labeled BPA-free. The amounts varied, but some were well over the recommended maximum daily intake.
A high acid content may cause more BPA to leach into food, so be especially careful of tomato-based products. (Purchase pasta sauce in glass jars). Don’t heat food in the can, even if it’s labeled a microwavable package.
Beware of plastics.
Rigid, transparent water bottles and food-storage containers are often made from BPA-containing polycarbonate. (These may include some, but not all, products with a “7” in the middle of the triangular recycling symbol.)
Avoid heating plastics in the microwave or using them for hot foods or drinks. A University of Cincinnati study found that boiling water can release BPA up to 55 times more rapidly than cool water. Use glass, porcelain or stainless-steel containers instead.
If you switch from plastic to metal sports bottles, be aware that some are lined with a coating that can also leach BPA. Many manufacturers now produce BPA-free bottles.
Buy new baby products.
Plastic baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers and even breast-milk pumps can contain BPA. (Although some states have banned the chemical from baby products, there’s no national legislation doing so.) Make sure baby products are glass or BPA-free plastic.
BPA has also been found in liquid baby formula. Some manufacturers have pledged to stop using the chemical in their packaging.
If you can’t find BPA-free formula, buy powdered, the EWG advises. Avoid liquid, especially in metal cans.
Don’t touch receipts.
The EWG found surprisingly high levels of BPA on the thermal printing paper used for some cash-register receipts – as much as 1,000 times the levels found in food cans. These include receipts from supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants and ATMs, along with airline, movie and lottery tickets.
A few companies – including Target, Starbucks and Bank of America – use receipts that are BPA-free or contain only trace amounts. But with 40% of receipts covered with the chemical, be careful:
Keep receipts in a separate part of your wallet, and don’t allow them to touch food. Avoid touching them with wet or greasy fingers – a 2010 Swiss study found that can increase exposure.
Don’t allow young children to handle receipts.
While it won’t completely reduce absorption of BPA, if you handle a receipt, wash your hands as soon as possible.
If your job requires you to handle multiple receipts every day, wear gloves. (And ask your employer to switch to BPA-free thermal paper.)
For more information on BPA, see the following:
The EWG has consumer tips to avoid BPA exposure, along with its findings on BPA in paper receipts and a guide to safe infant formula and baby bottles.
Consumer Reports provides the results of its canned food tests.
TreeHugger.com has a partial list of BPA-free canned goods.
The searchable ZRecs Guide to Safer Children’s Products lists those known to be BPA-free.
What’s Your Food Safety IQ?
There’s nothing worse than eating a delicious meal, only to be struck later with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Are you putting yourself at risk?
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