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Long Term Effects Of Bisphenol-A
April 23, 2008
My concern over Bisphenol-A in plastics has been minimal until recently. By request of some of my customers, I have delved deeper into researching this chemical compound. It has been difficult to find reasons why people are scared of BPA, only articles on the sheer panic that has been created. With further research, though, I was able to find out what the FDA and other regulatory organizations may not want you to know.
In various studies, BPA has been linked (in rats, mostly) to breast cancer, prostate cancer, behavioral disorders, miscarriages, type II diabetes, obesity, reduced sperm-count, reproductive malformation of offspring, and premature sexual development. This might lead you to ask, "What is BPA and why does it cause the same issues as excessive hormones?" Allow me to share the answer.
Bisphenol-A was originally a synthetic form of estrogen. It was shelved as a synthetic hormone when it was out-performed by another compound. It was later found that it could be used in plastics to increase their durability. Some scientist somewhere thought it was a good idea to add fake estrogen to our plastic ware, I kid you not. It gets worse, though.
Rats, who have been the subjects of these Bisphenol-A studies, can convert BPA to a safe compound much more efficiently than can we. When a rat is given a small steady dose of BPA, he can come down with prostate
cancer. When a man is given a small steady dose of BPA (as most every American is given), well... do the math. The outcome is not pretty.
So, yes, I've come to the conclusion that BPA is no small threat. I do believe that the lower and lower-middle classes will be most harshly affected by Bisphenol-A because of the prevalence of plastics and the lack of wide-spread education on the subject. Everyone, though, is being exposed to this chemical compound in one way or another.
My recommendation would be to minimize the use of plastics, particularly polycarbonate plastics. One way you can be sure that your plastic is not a polycarbonate is by looking for a recycle number on the bottom of the container. These numbers are not intended to advise the safety of any product but polycarbonate plastic is not recyclable and therefore will not have a number at all.
When plastics are necessary, as in bottle feeding a baby, make sure that the plastics are free of BPA and NEVER microwave the bottles. (Bottle warmers are available to fit every make and size of bottle on the market... trust me!) Also, be sure to discard (or recycle!) plastics that are worn, scratched, or have become cloudy in color. Use glass, ceramics, or metals whenever possible. Until the U.S. government bans Bisphenol-A (and I do believe that they'll eventually have to), it is up to us, the consumer, to make wise choices to minimize the BPA in our bodies.
I predict that it will be at least 10 years before the FDA bans BPA in all food containers. Are you curious as to why it will take so long? Big business. If the FDA imposes a ban today, manufacturers will have about a year to get rid of all inventory, develop all new products, formulas, or materials, and have production of BPA-free-everything well underway. It's just not going to happen. It is a process. It is, though, a process that we can influence as consumers, by purchasing BPA-free products and swaying product development in that direction.
For more information on Bisphenol-A and the potential longterm effects log onto www.OurStolenFuture.org.
Posted by Kelly Nelson on April 23, 2008 | Comments (4)
