Volume 14 | Issue 1
From water bottles to receipts to baby products, we are chronically exposed to BPA By Britney Coleman
Bisphenol A, abbreviated BPA, is an industrial chemical most commonly used in polycarbonate plastics. Humans, animals, and the environment are exposed to BPA daily in several ways. While each isolated exposure may seem minor, it is important to understand the risks associated with chronic exposure to BPA (small doses over an extended period of time). The list of health effects associated with BPA is lengthy because it is in an endocrine-disrupting chemical or EDC. EDC’s are chemicals that interfere with proper hormone function, including blocking and mimicking hormones. Every single body system requires adequate hormone function to carry out essential bodily functions. Therefore, BPA exposure can lead to health implications across all body systems. -Cancer -Infertility and decreased sperm count or quality -Abnormalities in sex organs (studies have shown that BPA can change the sex of certain animals altogether) -Neurological disorders -Learning disabilities -Impaired immune function -Respiratory problems -Metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity -Cardiovascular problems -ADD and ADHD Understanding the potential health implications of BPA exposure is especially important for parents and 1# | The Trail
pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant. This is because babies, especially in utero, are the most vulnerable to BPA.
One of the most commonly used items containing BPA is plastic bottles. Water bottles, soda bottles, shampoo, conditioner, lotion bottles, you name it! The plastic bottles are made out of harmful chemicals such as BPA that leach into the liquid contained inside them. Because plastic bottles are used for packaging essentially everything nowadays, bottled goods result in exposure through all of the three main routes: ingestion (ex. bottled beverages), dermal (bottled lotions), and inhalation (bottled perfumes and colognes). Picture this - you are trying to reduce exposure to BPA by avoiding food packaged in plastic, so you switch to canned goods instead…only to find out that canned goods are lined with plastic containing BPA! Yup - food cans are not only made up of metals, as many people believe but also a plastic lining on the inside. Its purpose is to prevent the rusting or corrosion of the metal which comes in contact with the food or liquid inside. Unfortunately, as with bottles, harmful chemicals such as BPA leach from this plastic lining. Studies have found that people who consume more canned goods have significantly higher levels of BPA in their bodies than those who consume fresh foods. The good news is that companies are beginning to make bottles and canned goods free of BPA. When shopping, look for bottles and cans labeled ‘BPA-Free’. This not only reduces exposure and benefits health,
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