Bisfenol A (bpa) werd altijd beschouwd als betrekkelijk veilig. De laatste maanden hebben
Canada, Denemarken en Frankrijk echter maatregelen genomen om consumenten te beschermen
tegen blootstelling.
BPA in drinkwaterflesjes gevaarlijk
voor de gezondheid
Intro: Misschien klinkt de afkorting BPA
bekend in de oren. Vooral de laatste maanden wordt er veel over deze chemische stof
gesproken. In dit artikel leggen wij uit wat BPA (Bisphenol A) precies inhoudt, wat de
gevolgen zijn en hoe je BPA zoveel mogelijk kunt vermijden.
BPA en Genisteine zijn samen van
invloed op het zenuwstelsel in rattenembryo's
Een mengsel van twee veel voorkomende
bestanddelen van ons voedsel bisphenol A en de phystoestrogeen genisteine veroorzaken
ergere ontwikkelingsproblemen in rattenembryo's dan zou worden verwacht als de
bestanddelen alleen worden toegebracht.
Het komende verbod van Vermont's
babyflessen en sport flessen welke de chemische stof Bisphenol A (beter bekend als BPA)
bevatten - is in de afgelopen jaren alleen geėvenaard door een wet in de staat
Connecticut.
Denemarken verbant BPA in
verpakkingen voor kinderen
Denemarken heeft afgekondigd bisphenol A
(BPA) tijdelijk in de ban te doen wat betreft het gebruik in verpakkingen voor voedsel
voor kinderen in de leeftijd 0-3, na een verdenking die wees in de richting dat de
chemische stof bij ratten de mogelijkheid tot leren kan beperken.
Bisphenol A (BPA) contaminating our
food and giving us cancer
Baby's krijgen het meeste bisphenol
A binnen
Dit onderzoek toont dat babies en kleine
kinderen het meeste BPA binnen krijgen. Baby's die gevoed worden met PC flessen zijn het
ergst getroffen, gemiddeld krijgen ze met de fles 0.8 microgram BPA binnen per kilogram
lichaamsgewicht.
Geslachtsveranderende chemicaliėn
stellen meer mensen bloot aan risico’s
Steeds meer mensen worden blootgesteld aan
“geslachtsveranderende chemicaliėn”, die in grote getale worden gevonden in
drinkbekers, plastic flesjes en CD-hoesjes, heeft een nieuw onderzoek aangetoond.
Onderzoekers beweren zo’n soort
synthetische stof in aantoonbare hoeveelheden in een aantal zwangere vrouwen, tieners en
kinderen te hebben gevonden. De stof, Bisphenol A wordt in verband gebracht met
borstkanker, afwijkingen bij de geboorte en onvruchtbaarheid.
De studie heeft meer dan 80 onderzoeken
geanalyseerd, die concentraties van BPA – welke het vrouwelijke gelachtshormoon
oestrogeen nabootst – in lichaamsvloeistoffen hebben gemeten. Na duizenden mensen in
Europa, China, Korea, Japan en Amerika te hebben onderzocht, toonden de onderzoeken dat
sporen van de stof regelmatig werden gevonden in bloed, moedermelk en urine, zo vermeldde
de “Daily Mail”.
“Deze studies troffen BPA in
overweldigende mate aan in mensen, waaronder volwassenen, adolescenten en kinderen,”
legde Dr. Laura Vandenberg van Tufts University in de Engelse krant. Eén onderzoek naar
BPA vond sporen in 591 van 599 Duitse kinderen. Een ander onderzoek onder 300 zwangere
vrouwen vond BPA in het bloed van 84% van de vrouwen en 40% van de foetussen.
Hoewel de hoeveelheden klein zijn, wijzen
de onderzoekers op bewijzen verkregen uit dierproeven dat BPA effect kan hebben in
concentraties onder de officieel veilige dosis. Elisabeth Salter-Green van de
campagnevoerende groep CHEM Trust stelde dat “dit overweldigend bewijs is dat BPA nu
gevonden is als een algemene schadelijke stof in mensen, waaronder zwangere vrouwen en
kinderen. De uitkomsten zijn gepubliceerd in de laatste uitgave van het blad
'Environmental Health Perspectives'.
Een chemische stof (Bisphenol A) die vooral
zit in babyflesjes en de binnenkant van drinkkartons kan volgens een nieuw onderzoek
verantwoordelijk zijn voor allergische astma.
BPA beinvloedt de vruchtbaarheid
van mannetjes ratten gedurende generaties
Nieuw onderzoek toont aan, dat
blootstelling aan "bisphenol A" gedurende de zwangerschap en borstvoeding de
mannelijke vruchtbaarheid verlaagt tijdens de volwassenheid en dat dit effect
gedurende minstens drie generaties voortduurt. Uit het bestuderen van ratten bleek, dat
betrekkelijk lage niveaus aan BPA al te hoog bleken, om mensen aan bloot te stellen.Deze
studie is de eerste waaruit blijkt, dat BPA invloed zou kunnen hebben op de gezonde
mannelijke voortplanting gedurende generaties. Uit talloze eerdere studies waarbij
laboratorium dieren werden gebruikt is gebleken, dat blootstelling aan BPA gedurende de
menselijke ontwikkeling de vrouwelijke vruchtbaarheid in gevaar kan brengen.
A new test conducted for Consumer Reports
magazine found toxic bisphenol A leaching into food from nearly all canned goods, even
those labeled as being "BPA-free" and "organic." The magazine tested
items such as canned corn, chili, tomato sauce and corned beef, and found BPA levels
varied widely, but some BPA was found in nearly all of them.
Bisphenol A BPA Contaminating Our
Food
BPA is damaging our endocrine systems
Lobbyisten tabaksindustrie werken
nu voor de plastic industrie
De chemische industrie gebruikt nu dezelfde
taktieken en lobbyisten als destijds de sigaretten industrie om zo nieuwe wetgeving te
vertragen/stoppen en miljarden te verdienen met een gevaarlijk produkt. Ook wil men
opnieuw een zwangere vrouw gebruiken om het publiek te vertellen hoe veilig BPA is......
Low levels of BPA raise breast
cancer risk in rat offspring
For the first time, scientists have shown that low levels of bisphenol A, even below
levels considered safe by the EPA, increase breast cancer risk in rats exposed through
their mother?s breast milk. A first of its kind study shows that low dose exposure to
bisphenol A (BPA) during lactation increases the chance of breast cancer in rats. Early
developmental exposures can have long lasting and adverse health effects. This is the
first study to show that a mother rat’s exposure to BPA during lactation increases
her daughter’s chances of breast tumors. Rats were used in this study because of the
similarity in mammary (breast) gland development with that of humans. If this study could
be extended to humans, it suggests that current safety standards fail to adequately
protect the public. Current standards -- which are being reevaluated -- do not take into
account recent findings that pertain to health effects from very low level exposures of
BPA and related endocrine disruptors. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a widely-used compound found
in polycarbonate plastics and resins that line food and drink containers. Plastic baby
bottles, teething toys and cans that contain formula can have BPA. Lees
verder
Hoeveelheid BPA is 11 keer hoger bij
baby dan volwassene
Using a mathematical model based on enzymatic differences between newborns and adults,
scientists estimate that the amount of bisphenol A (BPA) circulating in the blood of
babies is more than 11 times higher than the amount in adult blood. The striking disparity
is most likely due to natural differences in metabolism and body size between babies and
adults. This study points to the need for chemical exposure standards to better
incorporate differences in vulnerabilities between children and adults. Lees
verder
De grote BPA leugen
Ook de Nederlandse overheid bagataliseert de problemen die ontstaan doordat de stof BPA
lekt uit plastic verpakkingen (bijv babyflesjes, koffiebekers). Zelfs zeer recent nog werd
ieder risico ontkend. De wetenschappelijke feiten zeggen echter iets heel anders en worden
uit de Nederlandse media gehouden, geen journalist die verder research doet naar deze
hormoonverstoorders. De harde cijfers liegen niet, 98 procent van alle studies met dieren
tonen aan dat een lage dosis BPA al schade veroorzaakt. Bij de overige 2% spelen er twee
belangrijke factoren een rol:
1) de proefdieren die gebruikt zijn, zijn dieren die ongevoelig zijn voor deze oestrogeen
verstoringen
2) de studies die zeggen dat BPA veilig is
zijn betaald door de industrie
Van de 218 studies zeggen er 189 dat er schade
ontstaat door BPA in het lichaam. Voor een overzicht van deze studies zie deze word file: Link
Bisphenol A (BPA) causes
sterilization, brain damage and cancer
Senator Pavley and supporters rally
to ban BPA in childrens' products
Medical group calls for reducing use of BPA
Hormone-like chemicals in plastics, pesticides and other products pose "significant
concern for public health," possibly causing infertility, cancer and malformations, a
medical society announced Wednesday.
Battle Over the Baby Bottle -
Should Containers With Bisphenol A Be Banned?
The California Senate recently passed a bill to outlaw the sale of sippy cups and baby
bottles that contain bisphenol A, or BPA, adding momentum to a campaign against the
chemical that's gaining support in statehouses across the United States.
Authors discover toxins in
‘off-the-shelf’ products increase quickly
After steering clear of food packaging containing bisphenol A for a couple of days, Rick
Smith saw the levels of the hormone-disrupting chemical linked to breast and prostate
cancer in his body increase 7.5 times after just two days of restricting his diet to
canned foods heated in a microwave using a polycarbonate plastic container.
Girls are beginning to grow breasts at an earlier age, and starting their periods sooner
too, and scientists suspect chemicals in plastic bottles may be behind this trend.
BPA Plastics Chemical Linked to
Neurological Problems
In the first direct evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) can be harmful primates, the chemical
was observed to produce neurological problems in monkeys, in a study conducted by
researchers from Yale School of Medicine and published in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences."Our findings suggest that exposure to low-dose BPA may have
widespread effects on brain structure and function," the researchers wrote.
The chemical industry used "confusion and concealment" in its unsuccessful
attempt to kill legislation banning the use of bisphenol-A in baby bottles and infant food
jars, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal charged Monday. Misleading consumers, he said,
is a violation of state law. Bridgeport Connecticut Post, Connecticut.
BPA Levels in Adults up 70 Percent
after Drinking from Plastic Bottles
Seventy-seven Harvard student volunteers experienced a nearly 70 percent increase in
urinary levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a plastics component and synthetic estrogen linked to
cancer, reproductive system damage and other serious conditions, after drinking cold
beverages from BPA-laden polycarbonate bottles for just one week, according to researchers
from Harvard University.
Study finds reproductive health
effects from low doses of bisphenol-A
New research from North Carolina State University and the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows significant reproductive health effects in
rats that have been exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) at levels equivalent to or below the dose
that has been thought not to produce any adverse effects. BPA is a chemical found in baby
bottles, water bottles, canned foods and an array of other consumer products. The
potential health effects of BPA are currently the subjects of intense debate. The study
found that female rats exposed to a BPA dose of 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight
(µg /kg) in their first four days of life experienced early onset of puberty. Female rats
exposed to 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) during their first four days
of life developed significant ovarian malformations and premature loss of their estrus
cycle. "The 50 mg/kg level is important," says lead researcher Dr. Heather
Patisaul, "because it is equivalent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
'Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Level' for BPA. So, by definition, we should not have
seen significant effects at or below this level, but we did." Patisaul, an assistant
professor of biology at NC State, explains that the 50 µg /kg level is also significant
because it is EPA's listed reference dose for BPA – meaning it is the level of BPA
that EPA says a person can be exposed to on a daily basis without expecting any adverse
effects after a lifetime of exposure. Patisaul stresses that the research was done on
rats, making it difficult to determine its applicability to humans, but notes that
"this adds to a growing body of evidence that exposure to low doses of BPA during
development can impact female reproductive health." The female rats in the study were
exposed during the first four days of life because that is a sensitive developmental
window for the rats, similar to a sensitive developmental stage that takes place for
humans when they are still in the womb. While exposure to the lowest dose, 50 µg /kg,
resulted in early onset of puberty in the rats, exposure to higher dose had more
complicated results.
Cloud Over BPA Grows As Top Hormone
Researchers Warn Of Health Threat
The country’s top endocrine scientists have declared the toxic plastics chemical
bisphenol A (BPA) and other environmental pollutants shown to disrupt the endocrine system
to be a “significant concern to public health.” At its annual meeting yesterday,
The Endocrine Society, a professional scientific organization devoted to hormone research,
warned that bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic estrogen, and ubiquitous plastics component,
and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) “have effects on male and female
reproduction, breast development and cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrinology, thyroid,
metabolism and obesity, and cardiovascular endocrinology.”
Plastics Industry Misleading Public
On Safety Of BPA
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal asked the beverage and packaging industry Monday to
back off a marketing campaign he claims is misleading the public about the potential ill
effects of bisphenol A.
Bisphenol A May Affect Brain,
Behavior, Prostate in Children
A report today by the National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program finding
that bisphenol A may alter brain development and behavior and increase the risk of
prostate cancer in children, infants and fetuses is in direct contradiction to last
month's assessment by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the chemical is safe at
current levels of exposure.
BPA, chemical used to make
plastics, found to leach from polycarbonate drinking bottles into humans
A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that
participants who drank for a week from polycarbonate bottles, the popular, hard-plastic
drinking bottles and baby bottles, showed a two-thirds increase in their urine of the
chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to BPA, used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and
other plastics, has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and
has been linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans. The study is the first
to show that drinking from polycarbonate bottles increased the level of urinary BPA, and
thus suggests that drinking containers made with BPA release the chemical into the liquid
that people drink in sufficient amounts to increase the level of BPA excreted in human
urine. In addition to polycarbonate bottles, which are refillable and a popular container
among students, campers and others and are also used as baby bottles, BPA is also found in
dentistry composites and sealants and in the lining of aluminum food and beverage cans.
(In bottles, polycarbonate can be identified by the recycling number 7.) Numerous studies
have shown that it acts as an endocrine-disruptor in animals, including early onset of
sexual maturation, altered development and tissue organization of the mammary gland and
decreased sperm production in offspring. It may be most harmful in the stages of early
development. "We found that drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles for just
one week increased urinary BPA levels by more than two-thirds. If you heat those bottles,
as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher.
This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's
endocrine-disrupting potential," said Karin B. Michels, associate professor of
epidemiology at HSPH and Harvard Medical School and senior author of the study. The
researchers, led by first author Jenny Carwile, a doctoral student in the department of
epidemiology at HSPH, and Michels, recruited Harvard College students for the study in
April 2008. The 77 participants began the study with a seven-day "washout" phase
in which they drank all cold beverages from stainless steel bottles in order to minimize
BPA exposure. Participants provided urine samples during the washout period. They were
then given two polycarbonate bottles and asked to drink all cold beverages from the
bottles during the next week; urine samples were also provided during that time.The
results showed that the participants' urinary BPA concentrations increased 69% after
drinking from the polycarbonate bottles. (The study authors noted that BPA concentrations
in the college population were similar to those reported for the U.S. general population.)
Previous studies had found that BPA could leach from polycarbonate bottles into their
contents; this study is the first to show a corresponding increase in urinary BPA
concentrations in humans.
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has again expressed 'some concern' about the
effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the brain, behaviour, and prostate gland in foetuses,
babies, and children at current exposure levels. The 3 September assessment comes only
weeks after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that BPA is safe at
typical exposure levels from food and drink. The chemical mimics oestrogen, and is
commonly found in baby bottles, children's cups and cans.
Conn. lawmakers vote to ban BPA in
food containers
Connecticut on Friday joined a growing number of state and local governments banning the
sale of plastic baby bottles, food containers and cups containing Bisphenol-A.
Expert urges FDA to take action to
reduce BPA exposure
MU studies have shown dangerous health effects with BPA exposure since 1997. In the
current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers
report a significant relationship between urine concentrations of the environmental
estrogen bisphenol A (BPA) and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme
abnormalities. In an accompanying editorial, Frederick vom Saal, a University of Missouri
scientist, urges the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to follow recent action by
Canadian regulatory agencies, which have taken significant steps to limit human and
environmental exposures to BPA. Since 1997, research from vom Saal and other MU colleagues
have shown adverse health effects of BPA at exposure levels below those currently
considered safe by the FDA. "Despite growing research that confirms BPA is dangerous
to our health, the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority have chosen to ignore
warnings from expert panels and other government agencies and have continued to declare
BPA as 'safe,'" wrote vom Saal, who is a Curator's professor of biological sciences
in MU's College of Arts and Science. "Further evidence of harm should not be required
for regulatory action to begin the process of reducing exposure to BPA." BPA is a one
of the world's highest production-volume chemicals and is used to make hard plastic items
such as: drinking glasses, baby bottles, food-storage containers, the lining of food and
beverage containers, and dental sealants. Previous studies have shown adverse health
effects of BPA on the brain and reproductive system, as well as metabolic diseases in
laboratory animals. After a two-year review, the United States National Toxicology Program
stated its concern that, at current levels of exposure, BPA posed a risk to human infants.
The research published in JAMA is based on data from more than 1,450 Americans examined by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey and is the first major study linking BPA to diseases in humans, vom
Saal said. "The good news is that government action to reduce exposures may offer an
effective intervention for improving health and reducing the burden of some of the most
consequential human health problems," vom Saal said.
Bisphenol A (BPA) California Ban
Prompts FDA to Reinvestigate
BPA has come under fire politically in the recent years, and an outright ban of its use in
certain products across the nation may potentially be imminent. The FDA has recently
agreed to revisit the safety issues concerning BPA at the urging of Democratic lawmakers.
Hormone-mimics in plastic water
bottles - just the tip of the iceberg?
Plastic packaging is not without its downsides, and if you thought mineral water was
‘clean’, it may be time to think again. According to Martin Wagner and Jörg
Oehlmann from the Department of Aquatic Ecotoxicology at the Goethe University in
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, plastic mineral water bottles contaminate drinking water with
estrogenic chemicals. In an analysis1 of commercially available mineral waters, the
researchers found evidence of estrogenic compounds leaching out of the plastic packaging
into the water. What’s more, these chemicals are potent in vivo and result in an
increased development of embryos in the New Zealand mud snail. These findings, which show
for the first time that substances leaching out of plastic food packaging materials act as
functional estrogens, are published in Springer’s journal Environmental Science and
Pollution Research.
Bisphenol A May Reduce the Efficacy
of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Prostate Cancer
Recently, it has been identified that common somatically derived genetic mutations that
arise following the selective pressure of standard prostate cancer treatments may
facilitate sensitivity to environmental contaminants. These somatic mutations within the
androgen receptor allow the estrogen mimic, bisphenol A (BPA), to bind and activate the
receptor, resulting in increased proliferation and tumor growth in the presence of the
traditional therapy regimen for prostate cancer.
Premature infants in neonatal intesive care units (NICUs) may be exposed to
di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), bisphenol A (BPA), and other phenols in medical
products, but data on potential exposures are limited. Calafat et al. (p. 639) measured
urinary levels of BPA, triclosan, benzophenone-3, methyl paraben, and propyl paraben in 42
low-birth-weight infants from two NICUs in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. They found
that the geometric mean urinary concentration (30.3 µg/L) of BPA among the study subjects
was one order of magnitude higher than estimates for the general population, and that
intensity of DEHP-containing product use was associated with total BPA concentration but
not concentrations of any of the other phenols measured. Conjugated species were the
primary urinary metabolites of BPA, suggesting that premature infants have some capacity
to metabolize BPA. In addition, urinary BPA concentrations differed substantially between
the two institutions. The authors conclude that further studies are needed to determine
specific source(s) of exposure to BPA among premature infants in NICUs.
Try to avoid eating or drinking foods out of these plastic containers, especially if they
have been exposed to heat, in a hot car or placed in the microwave.
While the belief had been BPA was quickly and completely eliminated from the body through
urine, this study found people who had fasted for even a whole day still had significant
levels of the chemical.
To help prevent the leeching of this chemical from many plastic
"seven"-containing objects, do not microwave plastic containers, do not use
plastic containers to store heated liquids or foods, and do not wash these containers in
hot liquids. Hot liquids and food items allow Bisphenol A to be released from plastic
containers more readily.
Bottled water is thousands of times more expensive than tap water, creates mountains of
needless garbage and contributes to other environmental problems. So no matter which way
you look at it, drinking tap water makes more sense for your health, the environment, and
your pocket!
Rochester Study Raises New
Questions about Controversial Plastics Chemical
A University of Rochester Medical Center study challenges common assumptions about the
chemical bisphenol A (BPA), by showing that in some people, surprisingly high levels
remain in the body even after fasting for as long as 24 hours. The finding suggests that
BPA exposure may come from non-food sources, or that BPA is not rapidly metabolized, or
both. Controversy around BPA is mounting. In December the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration agreed to reconsider the health risks of the chemical, which is used to
make plastic baby bottles, water bottles and many other consumer products. Scientific
studies suggest that BPA may harm the brain and prostate glands in developing fetuses and
infants; adults with higher BPA levels in their urine were linked to higher risks for
heart disease and diabetes, according to a study published last September in the Journal
of the American Medical Association. The latest finding from Rochester is important
because, until now, scientists believed that BPA was excreted quickly and that people were
exposed to BPA primarily through food. Indeed, the FDA and the European Food Safety
Authority have declared BPA safe based, in part, on those assumptions.
Read the news about BPA and you'll see evidence cited that the compound is safe. But are
these assertions just exploiting our limited scientific literacy? Here's how to decode the
potential obfuscation.
Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A at
Environmentally Relevant Doses Adversely Affects the Murine Female Reproductive Tract
Ovarian cysts were significantly increased in the 1?µg/kg BPA group ; ovarian
cystadenomas were seen in the other three BPA-treated groups but not in corn-oil controls.
We observed increased progressive proliferative lesions of the oviduct after BPA
treatment, similar to those described in response to DES. Further, although not
statistically different from the controls, prominent mesonephric (Wolffian) remnants and
squamous metaplasia of the uterus, as well as vaginal adenosis, were present in
BPA-treated mice, similar to lesions reported following DES treatment. More severe
pathologies observed in some BPA-treated animals included atypical hyperplasia and stromal
polyps of the uterus ; sarcoma of the uterine cervix ; and mammary adenocarcinoma. We did
not observe these lesions in controls.
Oral Exposure to Bisphenol A
Increases Dimethylbenzanthracene-Induced Mammary Cancer in Rats
The data presented here provide the first evidence that maternal exposure to BPA during
lactation increases mammary carcinogenesis in a DMBA-induced model of rodent mammary
cancer. Changes in PR-A, SRC 1–3, erbB3, and Akt activity are consistent with
increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis playing a role in mammary cancer
susceptibility. These alterations provide an explanation of enhanced mammary
carcinogenesis after lactational BPA exposure.
6 environmental research studies
reveal critical health risks from plastic
Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and flame retardants (PBDEs) are strongly
associated with adverse health effects on humans and laboratory animals. A special section
in the October 2008 issue of Environmental Research, "A Plastic World" provides
critical new research on environmental contaminants and adverse reproductive and
behavioral effects. Plastic products contain "endocrine disrupting chemicals"
that can block the production of the male sex hormone testosterone (phthalates used in PVC
plastic), mimic the action of the sex hormone estrogen (bisphenol A or BPA used in
polycarbonate plastic), and interfere with thyroid hormone (brominated flame retardants or
PBDEs used in many types of plastic). Two articles report very similar changes in male
reproductive organs in rats and humans related to fetal exposure to phthalates. Two
articles show that fetal exposure to BPA or PBDEs disrupts normal development of the brain
and behavior in rats and mice. Two other articles provide data that these chemicals are
massively contaminating the oceans and causing harm to aquatic wildlife.The other studies
integrate new laboratory research with a broader view reflecting exposures to a variety of
chemicals in plastic. These ubiquitous chemicals found in many plastics act independently
and together to adversely affect human, animal and environmental health. The articles show
amongst others the massive contamination of the Pacific Ocean with plastic, and the amount
of contamination has increased dramatically in recent years; animal brain structure, brain
chemistry and behavioral effects from exposure to BPA and "phthalate syndrome"
in rats' male offspring."For the first time a series of articles will appear together
that identify that billions of kilograms of a number of chemicals used in the manufacture
of different types of plastic can leach out of plastic products and cause harm to the
brain and reproductive system when exposure occurs during fetal life or prior to
weaning," emphasized Dr. Frederick vom Saal, Guest Editor of the "Plastic
World". "Not only are these studies of scientific importance, they also
contribute to the ongoing US congressional hearings involving the Food and Drug
Administration," remarked Gert-Jan Geraeds, Publisher of Environmental Research,
"As such, "The Plastic World" has a broader societal impact and raises
awareness of increasingly important environmental issues".
A congressional committee is investigating whether the FDA gave undue influence to
chemical makers after several recent reports in the Journal Sentinel revealed how
government regulators relied heavily on industry lobbyists when considering the safety of
bisphenol A.
Nongenomic Promoting Effect of
Bisphenol A on Seminoma Cells
It has been suggested that fetal exposure to environmental estrogens may contribute to
reduced fertility and testicular germ cell cancer, but many xenoestrogens, including
bisphenol A (BPA), have only a weak affinity for the classic estrogen receptors. Bouskine
et al. (p. 1053) studied effects of low concentrations of BPA on JKT-1 cell proliferation
in vitro to explore the potential influence of environmentally relevant BPA exposures on
male germ cell proliferation. BPA concentrations similar to those found in human fluids
stimulated JKT-1 cell proliferaton, activated cAMP-dependent and cGMP-dependent protein
kinase pathways, and triggered rapid phosphorylation of cAMP response-element–binding
protein (CREB) and retinoblastoma protein (Rb). These nongenomic effects appeared to be
mediated through a nonclassic membrane estrogen G-protein–coupled receptor (GPCR).
The authors conclude that this GPCR-mediated nongenomic action represents a new basis for
evaluating BPA and other xenoestrogens that may interfere with the developmental
programming of fetal germ cell proliferation and/or differentiation at environmentally
relevant doses.
New animal studies link the chemical bisphenol A, which leaches from such polycarbonate
plastics and food can linings, with heart arrhythmias in females and permanent damage to a
gene important for reproduction.
BPA Blocks Effects of Breast Cancer
Chemotherapy Drugs
Widespread human exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has resulted from its use in a
diverse array of consumer products. Research on the potential health effects of BPA has
focused on the chemical’s ability to mimic or block natural estrogen. In animal
studies, prenatal exposure to BPA increased susceptibility to mammary cancer in adulthood.
However, studies of adult animals and cell cultures have had mixed results, and even less
certain is how BPA might influence established breast cancer and its treatment. A new cell
culture study is the first to show that BPA, at concentrations comparable to those found
in the general population, reduces the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer
cells, apparently by altering expression of proteins involved in apoptosis, or programmed
cell death
Chemical Fallout - A Journal
Sentinel Watchdog Report
Chemicals in the packaging, surfaces or contents of many products may cause long-term
health effects, including cancers of the breast, brain and testicles; lowered sperm
counts, early puberty and other reproductive system defects; diabetes; attention deficit
disorder, asthma and autism. A decade ago, the government promised to test these
chemicals. It still hasn't.
Bisphenol A Reporting Team Is
Finalist for Pulitzer price
Led by Meg Kissinger (left) and Susanne Rust, the newspaper has published a series of
influential reports about the harmful and suspect chemicals to which Americans are
routinely exposed, and the repeated failure of our government to fairly judge public
health risks against the desires of the chemical industry.
Coca-Cola and Del Monte Caught in
Plot to Deceive Moms and Minorities Over Dangers of BPA
Environmental Working Group (EWG) called on its growing list of supporters to demand both
Coca-Cola and Del Monte stop the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the food and beverage
containers of each company’s products. Lobbyists for each of the companies attended
last weeks’ closed-door meeting where the food and chemical industries secretly
colluded to plot a major public relations and lobbying campaign with the goal of defeating
legislative initiatives at the state level to remove the toxic estrogen chemical from
items designed for small children.
FDA Panel Chairman on Bisphenol-A
Secretly Received $5 Million Payment
As an FDA panel prepares to issue a ruling on whether the controversial chemical bisphenol
A (BPA) should be considered safe, press reports have revealed that the research center
headed by the panel's chair recently received a massive donation from a vocal BPA
supporter and former medical device manufacturer.
What the Chemical Industry Doesn't
Want You to Know about Everyday Products
Soon after scientists Frederick Vom Saal and Wade Welshons found the first hard evidence
that miniscule amounts of BPA caused irreversible changes in the prostates of fetal mice,
a scientist from Dow Chemical Company showed up at the Missouri lab. He disputed the data
and declared, as Vom Saal recalls, "We want you to know how distressed we are by your
research." "It was not a subtle threat," Vom Saal says. "It was
really, really clear, and we ended up saying, threatening us is really not a good
idea."
A new interactive database, including a timeline showing how human fetuses develop,
displays scientific data about controversial chemicals in a graphic way. An electronic
database going public on Tuesday has gathered the latest science on some of the most
controversial chemicals in use today, offering a handy look into potential health effects
when babies are exposed while developing in the womb.The interactive website, called
“Critical Windows of Development,” has compiled an array of data from hundreds
of scientists studying low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Xenoestrogens Alter Dopamine
Transport and Trafficking
Xenoestrogens (XEs), including nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA), and some chlorinated
pesticides, may disrupt estrogenic signaling. Previous research showed effects of
17??estradiol (E2) on dopamine transport in nerve growth factor–differentiated PC12
rat pheochromocytoma cells that were mediated by membrane estrogen receptors (ERs). Alyea
and Watson (p. 778) examined the influence of XEs on dopamine transport by measuring
dopamine transporter (DAT) activity in response to low concentrations of NP, BPA,
dieldrin, endosulfan, o“,p“?dichlorodiphenylethylene (DDE), and E2 based on the efflux
of 3H?dopamine in PC12 cells. All compounds caused dopamine efflux, inhibited efflux, or
both at 1 nM; all were active at some concentration <10 nM; and all showed nonmonotonic dose responses. The authors conclude that low levels of environmental estrogen contaminants may act as endocrine disruptors via membrane ERs; potential effects on neurotransmitter function could have important implications for Parkinson disease and other neurologic disorders, particularly among women.
New Data Shed Light on Exposure,
Potential Bioaccumulation
Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in a variety of consumer products, is
ubiquitous in the modern environment, with residues found in the urine of an estimated 93%
of Americans over 6 years of age, according to data from the 2003–2004 National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Recent research indicates that BPA acts
as an endocrine disruptor and may increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and liver
problems in adults. Until now, most exposure was thought to occur through diet, and the
chemical was thought to clear the body quickly and completely. But a new study shows that
urine BPA levels of subjects who had fasted for several hours were not as low as expected,
suggesting either nondietary exposures or accumulation in fatty tissue, or both.
More evidence that BPA leaches from
plastic bottles and into people
A new study from Harvard University has found that urine levels of BPA are 69 percent
higher after drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate plastic bottles. Heating has long
been known to enhance the migration of BPA from polycarbonate containers but this is the
first study to show that urinary levels of BPA are elevated after drinking cold liquids.
The report is another in a growing list of studies showing that food and beverages stored
in containers containing BPA can become contaminated. For this study 77 Harvard students
drank cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles known to contain BPA for a week. BPA levels
in urine samples collected at the beginning and end of this week were then compared. To
minimize BPA exposure before the experiment started, students were given stainless steel
bottles and asked to use those in place of plastic bottles for several days before the
first urine samples were collected.
Plastics chemical retards growth,
function of adult reproductive cells
Bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in plastics and known to cause reproductive problems
in the offspring of pregnant mice exposed to it, also has been found to retard the growth
of follicles of adult mice and hinder their production of steroid hormones, researchers
report. Their study is the first to show that chronic exposure to low doses of BPA can
impair the growth and function of adult reproductive cells. The researchers will describe
their findings this month at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of
Reproduction. A healthy, mature follicle, called an antral follicle, includes a single egg
cell surrounded by layers of cells and fluid which support the egg and produce steroid
hormones, said University of Illinois veterinary biosciences professor Jodi Flaws, who led
the study with graduate student Jackye Peretz.These are the only follicles that are
capable of ovulating and so if they don't grow properly they're not going to ovulate and
there could be fertility issues," Flaws said. "These follicles also make sex
steroid hormones, and so if they don't grow properly you're not going to get proper
amounts of these hormones." Such hormones are essential for reproduction, she said,
"but they're also required for healthy bones, a healthy heart and a healthy
mood."BPA is widely used in plastics and is a common component of food containers and
baby bottles. The chemical structure of BPA is similar to that of estradiol, a key steroid
hormone, and it can bind to estrogen receptors on the surface of some cells. It is not
known whether BPA blocks, or mimics or enhances estrogen's activity on these cells, Flaws
said.Human studies have found BPA in many tissues and fluids, including urine, blood,
breast milk, the amniotic fluid of pregnant women and the antral fluid of mature
follicles. A national survey conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in 2003-2004 found BPA in 93 percent of the 2,517 people (age 6 and up) who
were tested.
Connecticut becomes second US state
to ban bisphenol A
The US State of Connecticut has become the second US State to impose restrictions on the
use of containers containing the plastics processing chemical bisphenol A. Minnesota
imposed similar restrictions earlier this year as well as introducing a "toxic-free
kids act"
Our exposure to controversial
chemical may be greater than dose considered safe
People are likely being exposed to the commonly used chemical bisphenol A (BPA) at levels
much higher than the recommended safe daily dose, according to a new study in monkeys. The
results will be presented Thursday at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in
Washington, D.C. "BPA is now known to be a potent estrogen," said Frederick vom
Saal, PhD, a co-author of the new study and a professor of biological sciences at the
University of Missouri-Columbia. "Human and animal studies indicate it could be
related to diabetes, heart disease, liver abnormalities, miscarriage and other
reproductive abnormalities, as well as prostate and breast cancer." The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) declared BPA is safe based on estimates that people consume only
small amounts each day from food. However, recent research indicated that U.S. adults are
exposed to more BPA from multiple sources than previously thought, vom Saal said. BPA is
found in polycarbonate plastic food and beverage containers, such as water and infant
bottles, as well as in the epoxy resin lining of cans and other sources. The chemical can
leach into food and beverages, according to the National Institutes of Health, which
funded the study by vom Saal and colleagues. "Between 8 and 9 billion pounds of BPA
are used in products every year," vom Saal said.
Bisphenol A exposure increases risk
of abnormal heart rhythms in female rodents
The chemical bisphenol A, commonly found in many plastic household items, has been linked
to yet another health problem in animals—an increased frequency of arrhythmias, or
heartbeat irregularities, a new study found. The results, seen only in females, will be
presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Past
animal studies show that bisphenol A, or BPA, can have harmful effects on the
reproductive, nervous and immune systems. Also, a study in humans reported last year found
an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease in people with high levels of BPA in the
urine. However, the effects of BPA on the heart are unknown, said study co-author Scott
Belcher, PhD, associate professor in the University of Cincinnati's Department of
Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics. In the new study, funded by the National Institutes of
Health, the University of Cincinnati researchers found that low-dose BPA and estrogen can
act alone or in combination to increase harmful arrhythmias in female rats and mice.
Because BPA has properties similar to the main female hormone estrogen, it is considered
an "environmental estrogen." Mice and rats in the study had normal heart rhythms
at baseline, before administration of BPA or estrogen (estradiol), Belcher said. The
investigators studied heart rhythms in both the working heart and in cultured heart muscle
cells. In both models, exposure to BPA increased the frequency of arrhythmias, compared to
baseline, in females but not in male animals, the authors found. Administration of
estrogen alone also increased the frequency of arrhythmias in females. Arrhythmias were
most frequent in the female rats and mice when they received both BPA and estrogen, at
levels normally found in female humans.
Bisphenol A exposure in pregnant
mice permanently changes DNA of offspring
Exposure during pregnancy to the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, found in many common
plastic household items, is known to cause a fertility defect in the mother's offspring in
animal studies, and now researchers have found how the defect occurs. The results of the
new study will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in
Washington, D.C. The study, funded partly by the National Institutes of Health, joins a
growing body of animal research showing the toxic health effects of BPA, including
reproductive and developmental problems. Last August the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
found BPA to be safe as currently used but later said more research on its safety is
needed. BPA is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic, such as for baby bottles,
refillable water bottles and food containers, as well as to make the linings of metal food
cans.BPA has estrogen-like properties and in pregnant animals has been linked to female
infertility. "The big mystery is how does exposure to this estrogen-like substance
during a brief period in pregnancy lead to a change in uterine function," said study
co-author Hugh Taylor, MD, professor and chief of the reproductive endocrinology section
at Yale University School of Medicine.
BPA may cause heart disease in
women, research shows
New research by a team of scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC) shows that
bisphenol A (BPA) may be harmful for the heart, particularly in women. Results of several
studies are being presented in Washington, D.C., at ENDO 09, the Endocrine Society's
annual meeting, June 10-13. A research team lead by Scott Belcher, PhD, Hong Sheng Wang,
PhD, and Jo El Schultz, PhD, in the department of pharmacology and cell biophysics, found
that exposure to BPA and/or estrogen causes abnormal activity in hearts of female rats and
mice. In addition, these researchers found that estrogen receptors are responsible for
this affect in heart muscle cells. "There is broad exposure to bisphenol A, despite
recognition that BPA can have harmful effects," Belcher says. "We had reason to
believe that harmful cardiovascular affects can be added to the list." BPA, an
environmental pollutant with estrogen activity, is used to make hard, clear plastic and is
common in many food product containers. It has been linked to neurological defects,
diabetes and breast and prostate cancer.
EWG Calls on Coca-Cola to Protect
Customers from BPA
Environmental Working Group (EWG) today called on The Coca-Cola Company’s chairman
and chief executive officer Muhtar Kent to take immediate steps to reduce children’s
exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical used in beverage bottles and beverage can
linings. “Along with hundreds of thousands of Environmental Working Group supporters,
I was very disappointed to read reports in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The
Washington Post that a Coca-Cola representative joined chemical and food processing
company lobbyists in a recent meeting to consider, among other things, the use of
“fear tactics” to protect the market for the toxic chemical bisphenol A
(BPA),” EWG’s President, Ken Cook wrote Kent. An internal industry document
obtained by journalists and EWG show that a Coca-Cola representative took part in a May 28
food and chemical industry strategy session at Washington’s exclusive Cosmos Club,
during which, the document said, “Attendees suggested using fear tactics (e.g.
‘Do you want to have access to baby food anymore?’)” According to the
leaked document, “Their ‘holy grail’ spokesperson would be a ‘pregnant
young mother who would be willing to speak around the country about the benefits of
BPA’.” “Is this the kind of “marketing” effort that Coca-Cola
stands behind when it comes to toxic chemicals that contaminate the food supply?”
Cook wrote.
Our Exposure to Controversial
Chemical May be Greater than Dose Considered Safe
People are likely being exposed to the commonly used chemical bisphenol A (BPA) at levels
much higher than the recommended safe daily dose, according to a new study in monkeys. The
results will be presented Thursday at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in
Washington, D.C.
Wisconsin would become the third state to ban the sale of baby bottles and cups for
children made with bisphenol A under a bill being introduced Wednesday in Madison.
BPA linked to cell damage in
post-menopausal women but not men, younger women.
Women in menopause are more prone to the BPA-associated health effects of inflammation and
oxidative stress than either men or women who are still menstruating, finds this study of
Korean adults. This is the first time BPA has been linked to these conditions in people
and suggests older women may be more susceptible to the chemical's estrogen-like manner
that drives these particular types of cell damage. Oxidative stress can be involved with
aging, cancer and other disease states.
Exposure to Bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in plastics, may impair the growth and
function of female reproductive cells in mice, a new study from the University of Illinois
has found.
A US health-advocacy group has warned that pregnant women should reduce their exposure to
packaging that contains bisphenol A (BPA) to avoid passing the controversial chemical to
their unborn children.
Hormone-like chemicals in plastics, pesticides and other products pose "significant
concern for public health," possibly causing infertility, cancer and malformations, a
medical society announced Wednesday.
Experts probe plastic bottles'
chemical link to ill-health
There is growing concern over the use of plastics for food and water packaging following
studies linking plastic container's chemical, Bisphenol-A (BPA), to degenerative diseases.
Estrogen mimics at low doses change
how brain cells manage dopamine
For the first time, scientists find that extremely low levels of some types of
environmental estrogens disrupt specialized brain cells and their ability to regulate
brain chemistry. All of the EEs tested changed the way cells released and reabsorbed
dopamine, an important chemical messenger that governs movement and pleasure. In some
cases, the responses were stronger when natural estrogens were mixed with one EE, as
exposures most likely occur in people and animals. These changes may explain how EEs
contribute to nervous system diseases, such as Parkinsons and schizophrenia, that are
caused by abnormal dopamine responses. Xenoestrogens and other estrogen mimics are
environmental contaminants that act in ways similar to -- but not exactly like -- natural
hormones such as estrogen. Exposure to these chemicals, particularly at very low levels,
can cause biological outcomes that are not predicted by traditional experimental
procedures.
Polycarbonate bottles lead to
"substantial increase" in urinary BPA levels
Regular consumption of cold drinks from polycarbonate bottles is associated with a
substantial increase in urinary bisphenol-A concentrations irrespective of exposure to the
substance from other sources, a study by Havard University and the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has concluded. The study has been published in the journal
Environmental Health Perspectives.
Chicago City Council today passed the nation's first municipal ordinance to protect
children's health by eliminating the toxic chemical bisphenol-A from baby bottles and
toddler's sippy cups sold in the city as of January 1, 2011.
A study published in the April 2008 issue of International Journal of Andrology suggests
that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical commonly present in the
polycarbonated plastic and epoxy resins used for food and beverage containers, may
increase risk of type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects nearly 24 million Americans
suffer diabetes.
bpa
Hormone worries halt plastic baby bottle sales
Canadian retailers have begun pulling plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A from
their shelves as demand dries up from health-conscious customers.
Avoid using plastic containers in the microwave, since unsafe chemicals are released when
plastics are heated. Instead, use glass or ceramic containers to microwave food and
beverages.
In a few weeks, the government will release a large-scale study about certain plastic
bottles after animal tests showed that Bisphenol A affects hormones. Until then, some say
they will switch over to good old-fashioned glass.
Many plastic bottles are composed of polycarbonate plastic - the hard plastic that is used
in many baby bottles and drinking bottles, such as the ubiquitous hard-plastic bottles
made by Nalgene. Polycarbonate plastic contains a chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA,
which could have adverse effects on human health and has been shown to leach small amounts
of the chemical into water or food.
Chemical disrupts cell division by
targeting protein
A chemical widely used in plastic beverage and food containers can disrupt cell division
by interfering with a protein that is critical to the process, a team of New Mexico State
University researchers has found.
New study blames heat for leaching
of chemical from plastics
A new study may provide a clearer picture of how a controversial chemical called bisphenol
A leaches out of plastics. Concern over bisphenol A, or BPA, has grown since August, when
a government panel expressed "some concern" that the ingredient — used in
some plastic bottles, dental sealants and linings of metal cans — causes neural and
behavioral problems among children.
New Jersey joins states seeking to
ban toxic chemicals in baby products
New Jersey is joining a growing number of states seeking to ban potentially toxic
chemicals found in name-brand children's baby bottles, toys, powders and lotions.
Chemicals in plastic water bottles
can be a concern
recent studies show that the chemicals in plastic bottles No. 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
and No. 7 Lexan/polycarbonate have been found to contain trace amounts of Bisphenol A
(BPA). It is a synthetic chemical that is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to
breast and uterine cancer and other health issues. Of course, the amount of BPA that could
leach through normal handling is small, but the cumulative effects are the issue.
Do you know what your baby just
swallowed? Bisphenol A an increasing concern
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of polycarbonates and it is the
target of a recent independent study by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit
organization lobbying for health protective policies and sustainable development. BPA also
leaches from the metal lining of cans and has been found at alarmingly high rates in
one-third of the cans of baby formula. The formulas tested included both the ready-to-eat
and the concentrated formulations. The analysis shows that one of every 16 infants is
effectively being exposed to BPA levels higher than those proven harmful in animal
testing, therefore placing formula-fed infants at the highest risk of contamination
amongst the US population.
Exposure to Bisphenol A Prenatally
or in Adulthood Promotes TH2 Cytokine Production Associated with Reduction of CD4+CD25+
Regulatory T Cells
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread endocrine-disrupting chemical that can affect humans and
animals. BPA promotes the development of TH2 cells in adulthood and both TH1 and TH2 cells
in prenatal stages by reducing the number of regulatory T cells.
Responding to growing consumer anxiety, California lawmakers are considering enacting what
could be the first statewide restrictions on a chemical found in plastic baby bottles and
infant formula cans.
Grant to Study If Early BPA
Exposure Leads to Late Prostate Cancer
Does exposure of baby boys -- in utero or in infancy -- to bisphenol A, a man-made
chemical which mimics natural estrogens, predispose them to prostate cancer later in life?
A five-year, $2.6 million grant to a University of Illinois at Chicago researcher and her
colleague aims to answer this question by shedding light on the mechanism by which it may
occur. Gail Prins, professor of urology at the UIC College of Medicine and lead
investigator on the grant, and her colleague, Shuk-Mei Ho, professor and chair of
environmental health at the University of Cincinnati, established in earlier studies in
animals that perinatal exposure to BPA at very low doses results in increased sensitivity
to estrogen as the male animal ages and an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
U.S. government looks into whether
chemical in some plastics can cause harm
Bisphenol A is a manmade chemical used to make many hard plastic products: reusable food
containers, DVDs, helmets and goggles. It's also in the protective linings in food cans
and dental sealants.
The amount of dangerous bisphenol A (BPA) that leaches from plastic bottles into the
drinks they contain is most dependent on the liquid's temperature, according to new
research. When both new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles were exposed to boiling
hot water, BPA was released 55 times more rapidly.
FDA Cites Discredited Industry
Science in Justifying High Levels of Contaminants in Infant Formula - Ignores Federally
Funded Research Showing Serious Health Risks
In response to a congressional inquiry, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted
that it based its determination that current levels of BPA exposure pose no health risks
on two studies sponsored by the American Plastics Council (APC), the trade group that
represents BPA manufacturers. One of these studies has been found to be deeply flawed by
BPA experts and the other study has not been published nor has its results been made
public.
FDA Relied on Industry Studies to
Judge Chemical Safety
Ignoring hundreds of government and academic studies showing a chemical commonly found in
plastic can be harmful to lab animals at low doses, the Food and Drug Administration
determined the chemical was safe based on just two industry-funded studies that didn't
find harm.
Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments, say
University of Cincinnati (UC) scientists. The research study, led by UC’s Nira
Ben-Jonathan, PhD, says that BPA—a man-made chemical found in a number of plastic
products, including drinking bottles and the lining of food cans—actually induces a
group of proteins that protect cancer cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy.
Research Shows Link Between
Bisphenol A And Disease In Adults
A research team from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Exeter, the
University of Plymouth and the University of Iowa, have found evidence linking Bisphenol A
(BPA) to diabetes and heart disease in adults.Their research paper is to be published in
the Journal of the American Medical Association on Wednesday 17 September and it is the
first time that evidence has emerged of the association between higher BPA levels and
disease in adults. BPA is a controversial chemical commonly used in food and drink
containers. It has previously caused concerns over health risks to babies, as it is
present in some baby’s bottles. BPA is used in polycarbonate plastic products such as
refillable drinks containers, compact disks, some plastic eating utensils and many other
products in everyday use. It is one of the world’s highest production volume
chemicals, with over 2.2 million tonnes (6.4 billion pounds) produced in 2003, with an
annual growth in demand of between six and 10 per cent each year. Many previous studies in
laboratory animals have suggested that BPA is safe, but some laboratory studies have
raised doubts. Experiments in which mice and rats were exposed to BPA have shown that
higher doses of the chemical can lead to liver damage, insulin resistance, diabetes and
obesity. The laboratory animal evidence is complicated and controversial. Some scientists
believe that BPA can disrupt the work done by hormones, especially oestrogen, but the full
biological effects of BPA in humans is far from clear. The research team analysed
information from the US government’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) 2003-2004, the only large-scale data available on BPA concentrations excreted in
urine. The research team analysed the results for the 1455 adults aged between 18 and 74
years old for whom measures were available. This study group is representative of the
general population of the USA. The analysis found that the 25 per cent of the population
with the highest BPA levels were more than twice as likely to have heart disease and/or
diabetes, compared to the 25 per cent with the lowest BPA levels. Higher BPA levels were
also associated with clinically abnormal liver enzyme concentrations. While this study has
identified a statistical association between BPA and adult diseases for the first time,
much more research is needed. Future work needs to exclude the small possibility that the
association is due to some other unstudied factor, or that people with these diseases
somehow become more exposed to BPA. It is also unclear whether the liver enzyme changes
are linked to liver damage.
Estrogen Mimicry of Bisphenol-A
Threatens Human and Animal Health
Bisphenol-A could be making us fatter. Diet and too little exercise are the main culprits
of what has been called the obesity epidemic, but the hormone mimicker bisphenol-A might
be tipping the scales, so to speak.
Study Shows Why Synthetic Estrogens
Wreak Havoc on Reproductive System
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine now have a clearer understanding of why synthetic
estrogens such as those found in many widely-used plastics have a detrimental effect on a
developing fetus, cause fertility problems, as well as vaginal and breast cancers.
Preliminary results of the study will be presented at the 2008 Society for Gynecologic
Investigation (SGI) Annual Scientific Meeting held March 26-29 in San Diego, California.
The study was led by Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., professor in the Department of Obstetrics,
Gynecology & Reproductive Science and section chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and
Infertility at Yale School of Medicine. Past research shows that exposure to the synthetic
estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) alters the expression of HOXA10, a gene necessary for
uterine development, and increases the risk of cancer and pregnancy complications in
female offspring.Pregnant women are frequently exposed to other similar substances with
estrogen-like properties, such as Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is found in common household
plastics and has recently been linked to long-term fertility problems. Like DES, these
other substances may also impact female reproductive tract development and the future
fertility of female fetuses.
The war on Bisphenol A - we caught
Coca-Cola plotting to deceive you
We caught Coca-Cola and Del Monte plotting
to deceive you about the dangers of BPA. Last week food and chemical lobbyists met in
Washington, DC to save BPA - they're desperate to block state and federal efforts to
regulate their $6 billion industry. We were shocked when we read internal meeting minutes
that revealed an unethical strategy to keep your family eating and drinking from BPA-laden
containers.
UAB research revives cancer
concerns about some plastic additives
Animal research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is resurrecting cancer concerns
about a plastic additive commonly used in consumer products, including baby bottles, water
bottles and the linings of cans.
THE SUSPECTED LINK between low levels of human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a monomer
widely used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, and adverse health affects was
bolstered last week with the publication of four toxicology studies that investigated the
link.
An investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that nearly all infant
formulas are packaged in containers that contain the dangerous toxin bisphenol A.
An article on May 6 Daily Mail from the United Kingdom warned that the chemical, bisphenol
A, is an estrogen-like compound, which mimics the female hormone estrogen, and can pass
from clear plastics into milk, water and juice, particularly when containers are heated.
While studies have yet to be conducted to directly examine BPAs' influence on humans, past
animal studies have found low doses of the chemical to be associated with early-stage
prostate and breast cancers, early puberty and decreased sperm count.
FDA Claims Cancer-Causing Chemical
in Infant Formula is "Safe"
In spite of the fact that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown in laboratory
studies to affect the endocrine system, the FDA continues to call it safe, saying that its
presence in infant formula should not be cause for concern.
Agency warns of chemical found in
cans of baby formula
The Environmental Working Group, the non-profit agency that warned consumers about a
chemical found in plastic baby bottles, is out with new research which claims the chemical
is also found in cans of baby formula.
Hot liquids dramatically increase the amount of harmful chemicals released by plastic
bottles, according to a study. Scientists found that polycarbonate plastic bottles
released a known environmental pollutant 55 times more quickly when filled with boiling
water
Environmental groups in the United States and Canada call for a ban on the use of
bisphenol, a potentially dangerous chemical found in baby bottles and sipping containers.
Elucidating the Binding
Characteristics of Bisphenol A
These findings raise the immediate question of whether reported BPA-related endocrine
disruption might actually be mediated through ERR-? rather than through ER. Additionally,
the researchers stress the need to determine the normal physiologic roles of ERR-? as well
as the ways in which BPA might affect these roles. Given the strong expression of ERR-? in
the fetal brain and placenta, further information is especially urgent with regard to
outcomes for newborns.
Hot liquids release potentially
harmful chemicals in polycarbonate plastic bottles
When it comes to Bisphenol A exposure from polycarbonate plastic bottles, it's not whether
the container is new or old but the liquid's temperature that has the most impact on how
much BPA is released, according to University of Cincinnati scientists.
Some Tupperware food storage containers use polycarbonate (plastic nr 7), which has been
shown to leach the harmful hormone-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) into food items
after repeated uses. Consumers concerned about such risks might want to avoid the
following polycarbonate-based Tupperware products: the Rock 'N Serve microwave line, the
Meals-in-Minutes Microsteamer, the "Elegant" Serving Line, the TupperCare baby
bottle, the Pizza Keep' N Heat container, and the Table Collection (the last three are no
longer made but might still be kicking around your kitchen).
A study at the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that mice fed bisphenol A during
early development, at lower amounts than what would have resulted in the levels found in
most people in the CDC study, become markedly more obese as adults than those that weren't
fed the chemical. Tufts University scientists observed similar phenomenon in rats.
For years, athletes and hikers have toted their water in colourful, durable BPA bottles.
Baby bottles, too, have been made of bisphenol A -- strong, shatterproof, easy to heat in
the microwave. Now, all of sudden, BPA is in headlines.
Research Biased on Harmful Chemical
BPA, New Report States
For decades, the federal government and chemical-makers have assured the public that the
hormone-mimicking compound Bisphenol-A is safe. This chemical is found in baby bottles,
aluminum cans and hundreds of other household products. But a recent investigation by the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has found that studies and research are heavily funded by the
same companies that produce the chemical. The article states that 80% of academically and
government-funded research found that bisphenol-A is harmful in laboratory animals. Most
of the industry-funded studies found there was no harm.
