There’s been much ado lately about bisphenol-A, a chemical used in the packaging of some foods and drinks – and found in the bodies of 93 percent of Americans.
While some scientists insist it is impossible to say that BPA is safe, others say there isn’t enough evidence yet to conclude that it’s unsafe.
Among the research studies raising eyebrows – and concerns that consumers may be better off avoiding the substance: a large study published in September, the first to link BPA to heart disease and type 2 diabetes in humans.
Researchers found that the 25 percent of the adult population with the highest BPA levels were more than twice as likely to have heart disease or diabetes as the 25 percent with the lowest BPA levels. High BPA levels were also linked to liver enzyme abnormalities.
“Our study has revealed, for the first time, an association between raised BPA loads and two common diseases in adults,” said David Melzer, one of the study’s authors, in a written statement. “At the moment we can’t be absolutely sure that BPA is the direct cause of the extra cases of heart disease and diabetes: if it is, some cases of these serious conditions could be prevented by reducing BPA exposure.”
Stanford researcher Dr. David Feldman and his colleagues were the first to recognize that BPA had potential health effects. In the early 1990s, they stumbled across the discovery while studying receptors for steroid hormones in yeast. They noticed that a molecule was leaching out of the polycarbonate plastic containers being used in their experiment. They quickly recognized that the substance was BPA, which is ubiquitous in plastic containers like baby bottles and in the lining of metal cans. Their findings, they said, “raise concerns” about humans’ possible exposure to BPA through the food supply, since the substance is so widely used in food packaging.
Although many scientists will tell you the verdict is still out on BPA – more research is needed to fully understand the chemical and how it affects the human body – Feldman believes it is wise to limit your exposure to it in the interim.
“Well, I feel there’s enough evidence to support a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach, particularly for fetuses, infants and children,” he said in an interview with a Stanford science writer.
So how do you go about limiting your exposure to BPA? Follow these simple suggestions:
- Never microwave food in plastic containers. Nuke your meals in glass dishes instead.
- Reduce your use of canned foods and drinks.
- Whenever possible, use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, especially for hot foods or drinks.
- Buy BPA-free baby bottles.
- Read the packaging. Many polycarbonate plastic containers that contain BPA have a #7on the bottom of them.
Adrianne Nov 10, 2008
This is a very interesting article, and is both easy to read and informative. I’ll be passing it on to my co-workers.