If the answer is “no,” it’s time to get educated. The ubiquitous chemical with proven toxic effects is not only in what we consume, but also what we touch, like paper receipts. Found in plastic bottles and canned food, BPAs may have dire effects, not just on you, but on generations to come. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 93 percent of people had BPA in their urine.
Bisphenol-a, or BPA, is an industrial chemical used in many household products and food packages. That’s not all. BPA is also in some dental sealants and fillings, medical devices, paints and epoxy adhesives. It is the primary element in polycarbonate plastic used in the resin lining of most food and beverage cans. It is capable of interfering with the body’s hormones, particularly estrogen. Numerous studies have pointed the finger at BPA as the cause of some serious health woes.
Frederick vom Saal, a biology professor at the University of Missouri, says, “A chemical like BPA reprograms your cells and ends up causing a disease in your grandchild that kills him.”
Like vom Saal, fellow BPA researcher George Bittner, a Ph.D in neuroscience from Stanford University, came to a similar conclusion: “These chemicals have been correlated with so many adverse effects in animal studies, and they’re so pervasive. The potential implications for human health boggle the mind.”
While the federal government has taken some action on BPA by banning it in baby bottles and sippy cups in 2012, the government hasn’t taken action on banning it in other products. Don’t be fooled by products that trumpet on their packaging “BPA-free” because the replacement for BPA is often a similarly dangerous chemical.
Food and Drug Administration officials express “some concern” about potential effects of BPAs on brain behavior and prostate glands in fetuses, infants and young children. Yet the agency says studies with standard toxicity tests show BPA to be safe at current low levels of human exposure.
In 2006, 38 leading researchers from various disciplines evaluated more than 700 studies on BPA. Based on animal studies, they concluded that there was “great cause for concern with regard to the potential for similar adverse effects in humans.”
WHAT BPAs DO
While more research needs to be done, studies of BPA’s effects on animals conclude:
*This hormone-mimicking compound has been shown to produce precancerous changes in the mammary and prostate glands.
*It prompted the onset of early puberty.
*Two studies showed that human adults with the highest levels of BPA had a higher incidence of heart problems.
*The Natural Resources Defense Council's reports of animal studies and BPA that resulted in reproductive abnormalities like a lower sperm count and abnormalities in the number of chromosomes in eggs.
*BPA caused obesity and insulin resistance that may lead to the development of diabetes. The Natural Resources Defense Council concludes that the vast majority of Americans have levels of BPA in their bodies at levels close to those causing serious disruption in animals.
*A French study in 2011 found that BPA in low doses can change tooth enamel, causing it to be brittle.
*Reproductive results of BPA studies are especially alarming. In 2014 Chinese researchers found that BPA exposure led to lower testosterone levels, which can be correlated with a low sex drive. Scientists at Washington State University in 2014 found that tiny doses of BPA could permanently disrupt the body’s ability to produce high-quality semen.
*Food intolerance is another result, according to a 2014 study by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
In a 2011 study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, people who ate canned soup from the refrigerator over five days after opening increased toxic BPA in their urine by more than 1,000 percent, as compared with people who consumed fresh soup over five days. This was due to their exposure of BPA in the resin lining of the cans.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
Citizen outrage on a massive scale can play a role in making changes. The fact is that federal laws in regard to BPA and other chemical hazards are weak and outdated. The Toxic Substances Control Act is nearly 40 years old. Companies in the U.S. can sell and use chemicals without having to show that they are safe for human use. Protections against them only come after studies have been done and science has proven their dangers.
A positive ripple effect will ensue if enough people protest BPA and other chemicals. If the Food and Drug Administration revoked its approval of BPA as a food additive, it would compel companies to develop safer alternatives.
“We have to press the government to require that this chemical and all chemicals we use around our homes are shown to be safe,” says Sarah Vogel, Health Director of the Environmental Defense Fund, who recommends signing a petition at www.edf.org. She also wants people to press for action by urging their representatives in Congress and the Senate to support strong toxic chemicals reform.
*Change your shopping habits at the grocery store. Don’t buy canned beverages or foods. Don’t use polycarbonate plastics (marked with the number 7PC) for storing food or beverages, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or feeding and giving drinks to an infant or young child. Instead, look for recycle numbers 2, 4 and 5 that are deemed the safest. Avoid all plastic with a 3 or a 7 recycle code on the back or bottom.
*Get rid of your plastic reusable water bottle and switch to one made of stainless steel. Or use a glass mason jar.
*Be skeptical of BPA-free claims, according to www.rodalenews.com. A 2013 study found that BPS, a replacement for BPA, also has hormone-disrupting properties.
*When you visit the dentist, ask the dentist for BPA-free sealants and treatments.
*Contact your state representatives about your BPA concerns. States that have passed laws restricting certain products with BPA, like bottles and sippy cups include Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin and Vermont