Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 23, 2011 at 12:51am

Yes Ruth - I read that article in the health news online. Thanks for posting it here!

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 18, 2012 at 5:15pm

A helpful graphic from 2007.

Bisphenol A: Toxic Plastics Chemical in Canned Food

More bad news about the health effects of bisphenol A. It's associated with narrowing of the arteries.

BPA Link to Narrowing of the Arteries

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 20, 2012 at 4:55pm

Thanks for the graphic too! Appreciate it!

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 26, 2012 at 10:04pm

Big Chem, Big Harm?

New evidence from mouse studies indicates that the low levels of BPA commonly found in people are associated with autism like effects which are passed down at least three generations.

Even before the latest research showing multigeneration effects, studies had linked BPA to breast cancer and diabetes, as well as to hyperactivity, aggression and depression in children.

Yet although industry has, so far, been able to block broad national curbs on BPA, new findings on transgenerational effects may finally put a dent in Big Chem’s lobbying efforts.

Pregnant mice were exposed to BPA at dosages analogous to those humans typically receive. The offspring were less sociable than control mice (using metrics often used to assess an aspect of autism in humans), and various effects were also evident for the next three generations of mice.

The BPA seemed to interfere with the way the animals processed hormones like oxytocin and vasopressin, which affect trust and warm feelings. And while mice are not humans, research on mouse behavior is a standard way to evaluate new drugs or to measure the impact of chemicals.

“It’s scary,” said Jennifer T. Wolstenholme, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia and the lead author of the report. She said that the researchers found behaviors in BPA-exposed mice and their descendants that may parallel autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit disorder in humans.

Emilie Rissman, a co-author who is professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at University of Virginia Medical School, noted that BPA doesn’t cause mutations in DNA. Rather, the impact is “epigenetic”...

...the opposition to endocrine disruptors is led by toxicologists, endocrinologists, urologists and pediatricians. These are serious scientists, yet they don’t often have the ear of politicians or journalists.

Threats to us need to be addressed, even if they come ... from things as banal as canned soup and A.T.M. receipts. [emphasis mine]

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 26, 2012 at 10:10pm

I used to eat canned soup all the time too!

Permalink Reply by Lillie on August 26, 2012 at 10:25pm

Since this report refers to canned soup (seems BPA is used on the inside of the can,) I assume soups purchased in those milk carton like containers are not affected.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on September 18, 2012 at 12:37pm

Blood levels of BPA in children and adolescents is associated with obesity.

Higher Levels of BPA in Children and Teens Significantly Associated...

Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have revealed a significant association between obesity and children and adolescents with higher concentrations of urinary bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical recently banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from sippy cups and baby bottles. Still, the chemical continues to be used in aluminum cans, such as those containing soda.

BPA, a low-grade estrogen, was until recently found in plastic bottles labeled with the number 7 recycling symbol, and is still used as an internal coating for aluminum cans.

BPA exposure has also been associated with cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and infertility. “In the U.S. population, exposure [to BPA] is nearly ubiquitous, with 92.6 percent of persons 6 years or older identified in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) as having detectable BPA levels in their urine.