Thursday, September 16, 2010

Plastics, Fertility, Pregnancy, Babies

Bisphenos A is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects. The negative health effects of BPA are seen in many body systems and include: increased breast cancer risk; reproductive and fertility problems, increased miscarriage risk; neurological issues; thyroid disturbance; heart disease and diabetes.

People wishing to lower their exposure to bisphenol A should avoid canned food and polycarbonate plastic containers #7. The other dangerous plastic is PET #2. Disposable coffee cups are a common - and daily - source of BPA for many people. The danger is increased due to leaching of the compoud from the heat of the coffee.

Heating and cooling of these plastics magnify the harmful effects. The National Toxicology Panel recommends avoiding microwaving food in plastics containers, putting plastics in the dishwaher, or using harsh detergents, to avoid leaching. Using BPA free water bottels and coffee cups is an easy (and environmentally friendly) way to reduce you and your children's daily BPA exposure.
Source: Life Sci. 2009 Now 18;85(21-22):742-52. Epub 2009 Oct 21.