A Closer Look at Bisphenol A (BPA)

I just hit the send button on a rather 'scathing' email to Earth's Best Inc., a well regarded company that produces an extensive line of organic products; specifically, organic baby formula. You see, I have been using Earth's Best baby formula for my daughter since she was born. I selected this brand because the company is well regarded in the organic industry and I felt like I could trust that they were producing the best, highest quality organic formula for my child. Well, sadly, that wasn't and isn't the case.

Several months ago I found out that the cans that Earth Best packages the formula in are lined with an epoxy resin that contains Bisphenol A (BPA). Actually, a recent 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. And yes, this is the same chemical that you have recently heard so much about in the news.

You see, bisophenol A (BPA) is not some inert chemical that our bodies will simply eliminate, BPA acts as an environmental estrogen and once it is ingested it can disrupt proper hormone functioning, alter genes and interfere with normal physical and behavioral development. "There is mounting scientific evidence that BPA is toxic, especially to children," said Aaron Freeman, policy director with Environmental Defense Canada. He also noted "Governments should be acting quickly, starting with a ban on BPA in food and beverage containers."

So, for me, it's a pretty darn big deal; from my research, it's not just children at risk, BPA exposure has been linked to both heart disease and diabetes in adults.

So let's get to the facts, what exactly is BPA?

Bisphenol A (BPA) was first identified in the 1930s. In the 1950s, chemists linked BPA together to create polycarbonates and companies began using the chemical in plastics production. These plastics are found in many products such as refillable beverage containers, protective linings in food cans, plastic dinnerware, impact resistant safety equipment and epoxy resins. BPA is also used in the production of materials found in dental composites and sealants. The substance is now deeply imbedded in the manufacturing of a large amount of products in our modern society.

The list is endless when it comes to the products that have BPA in them. Bisphenol A has also been used as an inert ingredient in pesticides (although in the US this has apparently been halted), as a fungicide, antioxidant, flame retardant, rubber chemical, and polyvinyl chloride stabilizer. Additionally, BPA can be found in "films, sheets, and laminations; reinforced pipes; floorings; water main filters; enamels and varnishes; adhesives; artificial teeth; nail polish; electric insulators; and as parts of automobiles, certain machines, tools, electrical appliances, and office automation instruments" (Takahashi and Oishi 2000).

Maybe I should have considered writing about what products don't have BPA! I think the list would probably be a bit shorter! Even more frightening is that BPA is now one of the top 50 chemicals being produced in the US. Yes, the top 50 chemicals!

One of the most disconcerting pieces of information I have come across is that your potential exposure to BPA through canned and epoxy lined boxed food and drinks is considerably higher than through plastics. Almost every single canned food item you purchase, whether it is organic or not, is lined with BPA. Yikes! Of all foods tested, chicken soup, infant formula and ravioli had BPA levels of highest concern. Just one to three servings of foods with these concentrations could expose a woman or child to BPA at levels that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests. I was always conscious of the plastics that I used but I had no idea that the real threat is in the canned and boxed foods including baby formula!

Check out the video below, We're Poisoned! - FDA is killing us *Plastics* Bisphenol-A. An interview with University of Missouri Professor Frederick vom Saal an expert in BPA and a leading researcher. Vom Saal and his team have managed to keep a spotlight on BPA safety for the past decade.

How does BPA get into your body?

The bonds in BPA are prone to leaching (falls apart from its parent compound) into the foods contained within the can/carton or plastic container that is lined or made with BPA. This takes place over time and is accelerated with heat. Recent studies have reported that over 93% of the population have been exposed to and have BPA in their bodies.

How does BPA affect me?

According to Environmentalcalifornia.org "More than 130 studies suggest that BPA exposure at very low doses is linked to a staggering number of health problems, including prostate and breast cancer, obesity, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, brain damage, altered immune system, lowered sperm counts, and early puberty."

Although the safe level of BPA exposure set by U.S. EPA based on experiments conducted prior to 1988 is 50 [parts per billion], some examples of effects at significantly lower doses of BPA include:

Behavioral changes: Many laboratory studies show that low-dose exposure to BPA causes behavioral effects, including hyperactivity (at 30 ppb); increase in aggression (at 2 to 40 ppb); changes in response to painful or fear-provoking stimuli (at 40 ppb); impaired learning (at 100 ppb); reversal of normal sex differences in the brain structure and elimination of sex differences in behavior (at 30 ppb); decreased maternal behavior such as reductions in time spent nursing, increases in time resting away from offspring, and increases in time spent out of the nest (at 10 ppb); altered play and other socio-sexual behaviors (at 40 ppb); and increased susceptibility to drug addiction (at 40-300 ppb).

Diabetes and obesity: Low-level, chronic exposure to BPA causes insulin resistance in adult mice. Such insulin resistance leads to Type II diabetes in people as well as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. A recent study shows that even a single dose of BPA at levels currently found in humans can result in altered levels of blood glucose and insulin, and twice-daily exposure for just four days results in insulin resistance. Several studies show an increased rate of postnatal growth in both males and females as a result of maternal doses between 2.4 and 500 ppb per day, and accelerated postnatal growth is associated with obesity, insulin-resistant diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

Early puberty: Low-dose exposure to BPA can affect the timing of the onset of puberty. Several studies reveal the early onset of sexual maturation in females occurring at maternal doses between 2.4 and 50 ppb per day.

Down Syndrome: BPA exposure is linked to an error in cell division called aneuploidy, which causes 10-20% of all birth defects in people, including Down Syndrome. In studies with mice, BPA causes aneuploidy [Aneuploidy is defined as an abnormal number of chromosomes] even at extremely low doses.

Reduced sperm count: Several studies show that low-dose developmental or adult exposure at levels between 0.2 and 20 ppb reduces daily sperm production and fertility in males. In one such study, low-dose exposure to male rats caused decreased sperm count and affected testicular weight and structure. The authors concluded that "BPA alter[s] spermatogenesis in a linear manner in a dose range which is perhaps relevant to the daily level of exposure in man." An important aspect of this finding is that BPA decreases the levels of testosterone in males.

Breast cancer: Studies show that low-dose BPA exposure stimulates mammary gland development. In one study, scientists exposed mouse fetuses to a daily dose of 250 nanograms per kilogram of their body weight-less than 1% the amount deemed safe for humans in the U.S-causing increased breast tissue development. Higher density breast tissue is a risk factor for cancer. One study author, Dr. Ana Soto, indicated the results lead her to believe that BPA likely increases the risk of breast cancer in humans.

Prostate disease and cancer: Low-dose exposure to BPA can significantly increase prostate size. Several studies show an increase in prostate size due to hyperplasia in male mouse offspring at very low maternal doses. Another study shows extremely low doses of BPA initiate the proliferation of human prostate cancer cells. In addition, exposure to a very low dose of BPA for just a few days after birth predisposes male rats to develop prostate cancer in adulthood.

Impaired immune function: Studies show altered immune function occurring at BPA doses between 2.5 and 30 ppb.

Decreased anti-oxidant enzyme levels: A decrease in antioxidant enzymes (required to protect against cell damage) occurred at the very low dose of 200 parts per trillion (ppt) in adult male rats.

Brain damage: Low doses of BPA can disrupt important effects of estrogen in the developing brain, causing brain damage. In most studies, BPA has been found to mimic the actions of estrogen in developing neurons, but in specific areas of the brain, BPA can have the paradoxical effect of inhibiting the activity of estrogen, which normally increases the growth and regulates the viability of connections between neurons. The concern relating to this finding is that this type of disruption is associated with impaired learning and memory.

Changes in brain chemistry: Low-dose exposure to BPA causes changes in the brain, including an increase in progesterone receptor mRNA levels at 400 ppb of BPA, increase in estrogen receptor alpha mRNA levels at 40 ppb of BPA, increase in estrogen receptor beta mRNA levels at 25 ppb of BPA, and a change in brain somatostatin [growth hormone inhibiting hormone] receptors at 400 ppb of BPA. These receptors are involved in regulating the brain control systems that coordinate the functioning of the reproductive system as well as reproductive and other social behaviors."

Yikes, it seems like the research overwhelmingly suggests that we should consider banning BPA!

According to Ourstolenfuture.com as scientific research on endocrine disruption advances the scope of the research continues to broaden significantly. The list of hormonally active compounds is longer than anyone had previously imagined in the early days of the research. Not only are more compounds involved, but more hormone systems are now known to be vulnerable. And within each hormonal system, new mechanisms of interaction between compounds and receptor systems are being explored to understand how a compound exerts its effects."

So, at this point, if research is just beginning to understand the full effects of BPA on the human body, it makes you concerned about what we will be looking at ten years from now.

How can you limit your exposure to BPA?

The Environmental Working Group lists some good rules of thumb for reducing your intake of BPA as follows:

1. "Buy your tomato sauce in glass jars. Canned tomato sauce is likely to have higher levels of BPA because the high acidity of the tomatoes causes more of the chemical to leach from the lining of the can. Think beyond plain tomato sauce to any canned pasta-like ravioli and those fun-looking kids' meals.

2. Consume frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned. In addition to their BPA-free benefit, fresh and frozen produce usually have more nutrients, which often get lost in the process of canning. Eden Foods does offer canned beans that are BPA-free.

3. Purchase beverages in plastic or glass bottles. Canned soda and boxed juices often contain some BPA. You don't need to worry, though, about disposable plastic water bottles. Most don't contain bisphenol A, and those that do are usually marked on the bottom with a number 7 recycling code.

4. Think in terms of moderation. You don't need to avoid all canned foods. Just consult the chart below and follow a sensible approach, eating less of those foods that are high in BPA. Click here for the full report on canned foods."

Additionally you may want to consider:

• Not using a microwave to heat your food especially in polycarbonate plastic food containers. Polycarbonate is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from over use at high temperatures.

• Reducing your use of canned foods.

• Purchasing baby bottles that are BPA free.

• Eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned.

Sadly, despite the overwhelming research I don't foresee any changes in the near future. According to a recent article in the Washington Post, "U.S. manufacturers produce 7 billion pounds of BPA annually, and business worldwide has been growing about 4 percent a year, driven by rising demand in Asia. A U.S. government ban on BPA would affect thousands of businesses and perhaps billions of dollars in profit for its largest manufacturers."

It's big business and for some reason that tends be the priority, not our health. So, once again, it's up to the consumer to empower themselves with enough information to make the best choice for both their families and themselves.

Remember, just because it says "organic" or "natural" it doesn't mean necessarily means Healthy! Do your research and protect yourself and your family!

Want to learn more? Consider reading Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening Our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival?

According to the authors, two leading environmental scientists and an environmental journalist the Industrial Revolution ushered in a lot of nice toys and some really convenient products but we see that the end results of our mad-dash to make and remake the world using our new scientific know-how is taking a huge toll on human health: Sperm counts are plummeting, cancer-rates are sky high, the immune system is being undermined, and hormone-mimics are quite possibly eroding our intelligence and altering our behavior. Without realizing it, we have put ourselves in grave peril and it is up to all of us to put a stop to it!

Update: Reply from Earth's Best regarding my complaint.

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