Bisphenol A - The hidden killer!

This thread is for those who don’t know what bisphenol A is and what the implication of our massive daily exposure might be. This is not an in depth analysis of every single aspect, but more like a teaser to some of the important ones, hopefully you will do your own research after. The thread would be 200+ pages if it should cover every aspect of BPA.

Warning

Every year, over 6 billion pounds of bisphenol A (BPA) are produced worldwide. BPA also known as shockproof plastic is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.

Polycarbonate plastics have many applications including use in some food and drink packaging, e.g., water and infant bottles, food containers, travel mugs, metal can linings, childrens toys, pizza boxes, toilet paper, water coolers, microwave ovenware and eating utensils, skylights, eyeglass lenses, cabinets for electrical appliances, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, cashier receipts, thermal paper, fax paper, cd’s, dvd’s, food processors, blenders, sports equipment and medical devices. Epoxy resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. Some dental sealants and composites may also contribute to BPA exposure.

Why be concerned?

One reason people may be concerned about BPA is because human exposure to BPA is widespread. BPA has been detected in various types of tissues and fluids in the human body, including urine, blood, adipose tissue, placenta, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid and breast milk. A survey from 2003-2004 conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found detectable levels of BPA in 93% of 2517 urine samples from people six years and older.

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with
increased risk for cardiovascular disease,
miscarriages,
earlyer puberty for girls
breast and prostate cancer,
reproductive dysfunction (multiple generations),
Thyroid function ,
Neuroblastoma,
metabolic dysfunction and diabetes,
neurological and behavioral disorders,
obesity,
type 2 diabetes,
behavioral and learning difficulties in children,
and it makes the sperm count plummet on men.

In 2010 the Breast Cancer Fund, a nonprofit group that looks at the scientific evidence linking chemical exposure to breast cancer. In regards to Bisphenol A exposure, the report cites concerns for the development of breast cancer.
Studies using cultures of human breast cancer cells demonstrate that BPA acts through the same response pathways as the natural estrogen estradiol

Plastics and pesticides are examples of products that contain oestrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EEDCs, which can interfere with mammalian development by mimicking the action of the sex hormone oestradiol. For instance, the exposure of developing rodents to high doses of EEDCs advances puberty and alters their reproductive function

Several studies using both rat and mouse models have demonstrated that even brief exposures to environmentally relevant doses of BPA during gestation or around the time of birth lead to changes in mammary tissue structure predictive of later development of tumors.

Exposure also increased sensitivity to estrogen at puberty. Recent data demonstrate that early exposure to BPA leads to abnormalities in mammary tissue development that are observable even during gestation and are maintained into adulthood.

Interestingly, some of the long-term effects of neonatal exposure to BPA may be dose dependent, with low- and high-dose exposures resulting in different timing and profiles of changes in mammary gland gene expression.

New research suggests that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during gestation and lactation lowers male fertility in adulthood and that the effect may persist for at least three generations. The rat study tested relatively low levels of BPA chosen to fall within the range of human exposures.

In the recent study, data collected from Chinese workers exposed to BPA exhibited a clear connection between even very low levels of BPA and sperm destruction. BPA exposure resulted in a 300 percent increased risk of low sperm concentration and low sperm vitality compared to those not exposed.

How are we exposed?

As mentioned initially in the warning BPA is impossible to avoid and can be found almost everywhere. The primary source of exposure to BPA for most people is through the diet. While skin-exposure, air, dust, and water are other possible sources of exposure. Bisphenol A can leach into food from the protective internal epoxy resin coatings of canned foods and from consumer products such as polycarbonate tableware, food storage containers, water bottles, and baby bottles. The degree to which BPA leaches from polycarbonate bottles into liquid may depend more on the temperature of the liquid or bottle, than the age of the container. BPA can also be found in breast milk!

Scientists have not determined how much of a receipt's BPA coating can transfer to the skin and from there into the body. Possibilities being explored include:

• Oral exposure -- BPA moves from receipts onto fingers and then onto food and into the mouth.
• Dermal exposure -- BPA from receipts is directly absorbed through the skin into the body.

A study published July 11 by Swiss scientists found that BPA transfers readily from receipts to skin and can penetrate the skin to such a depth that it cannot be washed off. This raises the possibility that the chemical infiltrates the skin's lower layers to enter the bloodstream directly. BPA has also been shown to penetrate skin in laboratory studies.

Laboratory tests found high levels of the estrogen-like chemical bisphenol A on 40% of cash register receipts from major U.S. businesses

An analysis of EWG's tests for BPA contamination in canned food reveals that people who eat canned foods are likely to ingest doses of BPA that are very close to levels now known to harm laboratory animals.

BPA levels higher than those in canned foods, baby bottles and infant formula were detected on at least one of several receipts from Chevron, McDonalds, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, Safeway, the U.S. Postal Service, Walmart and the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria, according to the private Washington-based research group.

What should I do until it is banned?

BPA has been banned from baby bottles in many countries, but the exposure continues from other products. Until the law is tightened in respect to BPA, or manufacturers and retailers respond to consumer demands, the individual consumer must find his own way around BPA. The best way is to avoid cans, bottles and containers for food storage made of polycarbonate plastic. However, it can be difficult to completely avoid canned foods, but you can minimize the use.

Try to avoid it as where it is possible and eliminate it from your food sources. The following list is incomplete, but shows a few places you could start expand on this list yourself.

• Don’t microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. Polycarbonate is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from overuse at high temperatures.
• Plastic containers have recycle codes on the bottom. Some, but not all, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA. There is a triangle symbol on the bottom of plastic containers. Inside the triangle is the number.
• Reduce your use of canned foods. Tomato juice and sauerkraft has BPA in the linings of the cans. The acid would corrode the metal. Only buy these two foods in glass.
• When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
• Use baby bottles that are BPA free.
• Minimize receipt collection by declining receipts at gas pumps, ATMs and other machines when possible.

Links that supports this thread

Bisphenol A: Toxic Plastics Chemical in Canned Food: BPA is toxic at low doses
Can Bisphenol A be replaced?
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Bisphenol A: Toxic Plastics Chemical in Canned Food: BPA is toxic at low doses
Estrogen-like properties of brominated analogs of bisphenol A in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line
BPA WARNING! PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS PLASTICS DO TO OUR BODIES
Synthetic estrogen BPA coats cash register receipts
Bisphenol A: Toxic Plastics Chemical in Canned Food: Canned food exposures are significant
17 Surprising Sources of BPA and How to Avoid Them
Study: BPA destroys sperm
High BPA Levels Don't Swim Well with Sperm
BPA affects male rat fertility for generations.
Environmental toxins: Exposure to bisphenol A advances puberty
Breast Cancer Links, Bisphenol-A and Plastics
www.umaryland.edu...

Thanks for bringing this up... The more people that get this information the better!

I knew most of it but, the reciept stuff I had no clue about! I deal with receipts quite alot for my job, will have to look into it abit more. Is there a way to find out if the rolls have it or not?

Thanks again

reply to post by woodnut86


Many people dont know about the skin exposure, which is still being investergated in various countries. Bisphenol A has a temporary ban from getting into direct contact with foodsources in Denmark, but it only cover the initial packing, not external food containers. Theres also studies about skin exposure here, hopefully Denmark will try to "enforce" a total ban on bisphenol A in the eurozone when these studies is complete as we did years ago with baby bottles.

Sounds pretty scary but the worst part is bisphenol A is just a small player in the hundreds if not thousands dangerous chemicals, contaminates, radiations and so on that the general public is exposed to every day.

Its common practice for large corporations to use these dangerous substances in almost all products whether it is food, prescription meds, baby food or just about anything because it helps to increase profit.

Wiki has a good page on it as well. Wiki link

Here's a link to the actual MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) in PDF format. MSDS link

This is another link that has a further link to the manufacturers. Most of them are in China.
link

Thanks for posting this. This chemical is far more dangerous that the chemical companies would like to admit. I used to handle this chemical when I worked as a chemical operator. The chemists cautioned us to wear a respirator and rubber gloves when we were handling it. I worked at a research pilot plant. I was told by the formulation chemists that Bisphenol A was used to make the coatings that we manufactured shinier. Our products were used in industry. We manufactured coatings for all kinds of things. From house paint to paper. Mostly our use of Bisphenol A was in high temp. Alkyd resins that were used for industrial coatings. Stuff like bridge paint and paint for locomotives.

Pretty much any chemical with the word Phenol in the name is highly dangerous. Phenol is a deadly poision.

This video-report cover many of the aspects i mentioned in the post, but it also mention how a study of 200 science projects on Bisphenol A show that most of the reports that say Bisphenol A is harmless is funded by the industry. It also shoes how the National toxicology program (NTP) try to cover up the "truth" about Bisphenol A.

Do we have a conspiracy here? ..if so could it be linked to this (very old) document, offcause that would be pure speculation.




Canada is the "first" country in the world to declare BPA toxic. So far it's only banned from baby bottles, but could lead the road to a real ban same things is happening in Denmark where we have a temporary ban on food packeging.

Ban BPA

Do they line the inside of beer cans with BPA?

my brand doesn't come in a bottle..

reply to post by baddmove


The answer could be yes, but it's not easy to give a definitive answer to that question.

I've read that if it got a recycle-triangle with 3 or 7 arrows theres a risk it contains BPA, but as far as I know of theres no law that say they need to mark BPA products (only read that 3 is dangerous in on article).

Consumers can identify products that contain BPA by referring to the numbers in the triangle on the bottom of plastic containers. These SPI Resin Identification Codes are used to identify from which type of plastic a product is made. Resin codes one through six identify particular resins while seven (7) includes all others, including those from BPA, and any combinations of the six.

1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
3 Polyvinyl Chloride (Vinyl)
4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
5 Polypropylene (PP)
6 Polystyrene (PS)
7 Other
Questions and Answers About Bisphenol-A (BPA)

List of the "most" dangerous plastics
??0?? Bisphenol A (7 arrows):

1 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) (3 arrows): contains phthalates, which are known to disrupt hormones -- especially testosterone. Congress has banned the use of these chemicals in toys because of research that indicates developmental and reproductive damage.

2 Polystyrene (PS) (6 arrows): This type of plastic can leach styrene into food, especially when heated. Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

??3?? Polycarbonate (PC) and Other (7 arrows): Polycarbonate plastic is the only plastic that is made with bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been found to mimic the hormone estrogen and disrupt the body's endocrine system. Public health advocates say it poses a particular risk to fetuses, infants and children. The National Toxicology Program issued a report last year that includes concerns about BPA's effects on the brain, prostate gland, mammary gland, and behavior in fetuses, infants and children.

4 Polyethylene (PET or PETE) (4 arrows): Used in disposable containers for most bottled water, bottled soft drinks, juice, mouthwash, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly and pickles. Also used in microwavable trays. This plastic is fine for single use. Avoid reusing #1 water and soda bottles because the plastic is porous and these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that can't be cleaned out.


The only "useable" products is

5 Polyethylene (HDPE or LDPE) (2 and 4 arrows): High Density Polyethylene (HDPE / #2) is a cloudy or opaque plastic used for jugs of milk, water, juice, shampoo and detergent, as well as cereal-box liners. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE / #4) is used for cling wraps and food storage bags, garbage and grocery bags, squeeze bottles, and coatings for milk cartons and hot-beverage cups.These plastics are generally good choices as they transmit no known chemicals into food and are generally recyclable.
The Most Dangerous Plastics

Remeber your not only exposed through your diet, look at some of the sources in the initial post.

Originally posted by baddmove
Do they line the inside of beer cans with BPA?

my brand doesn't come in a bottle..

I believe the tinning or canning of food has its own set of nasty chemicals associated with it. Correction, Bisphenol A!
Source on Wiki
ETA No idea if that applies to tinned beer as well as tinned vegetables though. The cans do feel different, thinner mainly when talking about fluids like beer and soda.



ETA2 Sometimes Supermarkets sell dented tins cheap. Do not buy those, dented tins are almost by default leaking chemicals into the contents.

reply to post by Mimir


Nice post, its always nice to see how others are bringing out the dangers of our 'easy mode' society. Plastics, non organic containers and any oil related product that people eat, wear, or use during their lifetime is a major risk to health of themself and their offspring.

This is good info... folks should flag the eff outta this just to spread the word...
S&F

Bisphenol-A causes normal breast cells to act like cancer and studies indicate that BPA may limit the effectiveness of commonly used anti-cancer drugs. University proffesors argue for a total ban and new rules regarding the safty of chemicals.

San Francisco, CA, September 12, 2011 – A study published in the Oxford University Press journal, Carcinogenesis, concludes that healthy breast cells exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) and methylparaben, a common ingredient in beauty products, change from normal and begin to grow and survive like cancer cells. This new research also indicates that BPA exposure may reduce the effectiveness of certain popular and promising breast cancer drugs.

Exposure to the chemicals BPA and methylparaben activates mTOR, a cell’s central mechanism to control cancer growth. When the mTOR signal is turned off, cancer cells do not survive, however, once mTOR is activated, cancer cells can grow and thrive.

“Not every cell exposed to BPA or methylparaben will become cancer, but anything – any chemical exposure – that “flips the switch” and causes healthy cells to act like cancer is cause for concern,” says Dr. William Goodson, lead author and Senior Clinical Research Scientist at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute.

Dr. Goodson says, “The evidence is strong and getting stronger, that BPA poses a real threat to people, and it’s time to take it out of the food chain.” He continued, “But real change will need the support of everyone. Up to now, industry has avoided having to prove that the chemicals they use are not harmful. This kind of data shifts the responsibility. Industry should now be told to show us that these chemicals are safe.” Bisphenol-A causes normal breast cells to act like cancer

Exposure to BPA is the same as exposure to ESTROGEN.

Exposure to BPA is the same as exposure to ESTROGEN. This is because BPA in its molecular structure is very similar to that of ESTROGEN such that the body is responding to BPA as if BPA is ESTROGEN. In my opinion this exposure to BPA is the cause of the obeisity epidemic. So in order to treat the obeisity epidemic we need to deal with the BPA problem. This is why reducing your food intake is not resolving your obeisity problem. I speak from personal experience. Over dose of ESTROGEN is basically what is going on since BPA plastics were introduced. I wonder if there is a medication that can counter this ESTROGEN over dose ? Perhaps nature is going to resolve the problem by climatization ? As our metabolism becomes accustomed to the higher levels of ESTROGEN being ingested, then the body will learn to operate in that new climate, such that the higher levels of ESTROGEN will no longer be a problem ? We know from scientific research that nature is always able to adapt no matter what the austerity. One big change we made was discarding ceramic jars [glass] in favour of plastics and [plastic lined] metal cans instead. Now we see very good health reasons for returning to glass. Glass is vitrified "Silicon Oxide". It is the most abundant substance on Earth. Also known as "Quartz" or "Quartzite". Pottery clay is Silicon Oxide plus Aluminium Oxide. Other metallic oxides such as Iron Oxide are present as well giving the ceramic a red colour. Instead of using plasic lined metal cans we should return to using glass bottles and jars. In the mean time eat fresh produce as much as possible.

A study by the World Health Organisation of three hundred and fifty thousand babys found that the average baby has more than 250 nasty chemicals running through its viens BEFORE IT IS EVEN BORN!!!

If your having babys then go organic, and feed the baby ONLY organic food. Go talk to organic parents and ask them how many of the "childhood" ailments their children have had.
I personaly have managed to convince 6 mothers to go organic and totaly remove cows milk from their diet. All 6 mothers beam from ear to ear with pride because their children do not get CHILDHOOD ailments, not even nappy rash. If parents want advice on this just ask.

Diabetes 2 and Bisphenol A

Several studies shows that BPA blocks the keyhormone "adiponectin" that protects humans from heart attacks and one of the most serious and costly public health problems in the US diabetes 2.

In human fat tissues, bisphenol A (BPA) suppresses levels of a key hormone, adiponectin, that protects people from heart attacks and Type II diabetes. These results implicate BPA as a potential cause of metabolic syndrome, one of the most serious and costly public health problems in the US.

Hugo et al. carried out a series of experiments with fat tissue surgically removed from people, exposing the tissue to different amounts of BPA and observing how this affected adiponectin levels. They compared BPA's effect to that of estradiol (E2), a natural form of human estrogen.

It is important to note that these results were obtained using human tissues and hence avoid the challenges that often arise when extrapolating results from rodents to people.

These results show that BPA at levels well-within the range of common human exposure suppress levels of a hormone that protects people from metabolic syndrome and its consequences: heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. In many of the experiments, BPA's effect was comparable to E2's, and in some even stronger. The effects were seen in all three types of tissues examined.

Diverse and robust data, both prospective and longitudinal, link low adiponectin levels to increased risk of heart attacks and Type 2 diabetes. This link is thought to be causal: Lower adiponectin levels cause heart attacks and Type 2 diabetes. These results thus predict that BPA, by suppressing adiponectin, is a causal agent for these illnesses. Source

High levels of exposure to the chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA as it is commonly known, may increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

For the present study, a team of researchers from West Virginia University analyzed urine samples collected between 2003 and 2008 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The results, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, showed that higher levels of BPA were associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Furthermore, the researchers said that this association persisted regardless of age, gender, race or body mass index, other factors that may potentially contribute to a person's overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Source 2

Recent studies have also shown that this substance stimulated the production of insulin by the pancreas, and would promote the development of adipose tissue, principal place of storage of fat in the body.

Accumulation exaggerated fat in the liver, is not in itself a major gravity character, but the risk of fostering the emergence of other tissue and metabolic alterations.” “And therefore diseases such as type 2 diabetes
Source 3

reply to post by Mimir


Certain plasticides mimic sexual hormones in our body. They have increased the hermaphrodities on the planet (cross species) and sexual cancers. Even worse is the chemicals bioaccumulate in the body fats and are turn in breast milk when a mother has a child. So the affects are amplified from generation to generation.

reply to post by Mimir


Excellent thread. S&F. I have just recently learned of this. I am as organic as possible but can still do a bit more to eliminate this danger from my life. The issue was brought to me by my son when he noticed the filtered water jugs I have. I was trying to get the fluoride from my life and inadvertently introduced another toxin.

I was relieved to learn that BPA does not have an accumulative effect like fluoride, but just as dangerous if not more than fluoride. Another link for your thread plasticsans.com... Hope it helps.

reply to post by purplemer


Yes it mimics the female hormone Estrogen.
Interesting about hermaphrodites, but I'm not sure about sexul cancer?? whats that? I know msm and others claim AlexJones said BPA makes you gay even thou thats not exactly what he said. But increase of estrogen in men actually decrease the effect in men's hormone testosterone and therefore they get "less manly and more female".

As a man ages, his body’s production of testosterone naturally decreases and as a result low testosterone can increase your risk of chronic disease. It can also rob you of your strength and muscularity, your virility, even your drive and ambition. And here’s another slammer hitting most mature men. Not only do we have to contend with naturally declining testosterone levels, we are also affected by increasing levels of estrogens that feminize our bodies. Source

reply to post by Witness2008


Well that's good news, which evaded me.

That means you got a chance to detox and afterwards try to keep exposure to a minnimum even thou it is impossible to avoid completly because of its wide range of use. If enough people awakens to this abomination and starts to boycut it whenever possible hopefully it will slowly be phased out.
People should also demand that their poleticians should focus on worldwide bans on toxins and enviromental poisons instead of banning carbon dioxid in an attemp to suffocate our plants/planet and get a global tax on breathing...