What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
BPA is an industrial chemical that can be mixed into our food.

Some experts believe that this is a toxic chemical, and advised people to try to avoid it.

But is BPA really bad and should you avoid it at all costs?

This is a detailed review of BPA and its health effects.

What is BPA?

BPA (bisphenol-A) is a chemical added to many commercial products, including food containers and hygiene products.

It was first discovered in the 1890s, but in the 1950s chemists realized that it could be mixed with other compounds to produce plastic. Durable and hard.

Today, BPA-containing plastics are often used as food containers, baby bottles and other things.

BPA is also used to do placed on the lining inside the canned food container to keep the metal from corrosion and break.

Crux: BPA is a synthetic compound found in many plastics, as well as in canned food packaging pads.

Which product contains the most BPA?

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
Common products that may contain BPA include:

  • Items packed in plastic boxes.
  • Canned food.
  • Cleaning stuff.
  • Hygiene products for women.
  • Receipt from thermal printer.
  • CDs and DVDs.
  • Electronic Appliances.
  • Eye lens.
  • Sports equipment.
  • Sealant in dentistry.

It should be noted that many manufacturers have switched to non-BPA products, in which BPA has been replaced by (BPS) or (BPF).

However, recent studies show that even small concentrations of BPS and BPF can disrupt your cell function in a manner similar to BPA. Therefore, plastic bottles that do not contain BPA may not be a solution .

Plastic items with recycling numbers 3 and 7 or "PC" may contain BPA, BPS or BPF.

Crux: BPA and its alternatives - BPS and BPF - can be found in many popular products, often labeled with recycling codes 3, 7 or "PC".

How does BPA enter the body?

The main source of exposure for BPA is through diet .

That's because when manufacturing BPA containers, not all BPAs are in the product. This allows a part of it to escape and mix into the container in the box when food or liquid is added .

For example, a recent study found that BPA levels in urine decreased by 66% after 3 days to avoid packaged foods .

Another study showed that participants ate a fresh or canned soup daily for 5 days. BPA concentration in urine 1.221% higher in people who eat canned soup .

In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that BPA levels in breastfed infants are 8 times lower than children fed powdered milk containing BPA .

Crux: Diet is the largest source of BPA for humans, especially packaged foods. Babies fed infant formula from BPA containers also have high levels of this substance in their bodies.

Is BPA harmful?

Many experts believe that BPA is harmful, but others do not agree.

This section explains BPA activity in the body, and why its health effects are still controversial.

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
BPA is similar in structure to estrogen hormone. It can bind to estrogen receptors and affect the function of the body

Biological mechanism of BPA

BPA is thought to simulate the structure and function of estrogen hormones .

Due to the structure like estrogen, BPA can bind to estrogen receptors and affect body processes, such as growth, cell repair, fetal development, energy levels and reproduction.

In addition, BPA may also be able to interact with other hormone receptors, such as thyroid hormone receptors, thus altering their function .

The body is sensitive to changes in hormone levels, which is why BPA's ability to simulate estrogen is thought to affect your health.

Controversy about BPA

With the above information, many people wonder whether BPA should be banned.

Its use has been limited in the EU, Canada, China and Malaysia, especially in products for infants and young children.

Some US states have complied, but no federal regulations are in place.

In 2014, published the latest report, confirming the initial exposure limit in 1980 was 50 mcg / kg (about 23 mcg / lb) daily and concluded that BPA could be safe at the current level allowed. .

However, rodent studies show that the negative effects of BPA are much lower, only 10 mcg / kg daily. In addition, monkey studies show that the level is equivalent to the level currently measured in people with negative effects on reproduction .

An assessment from 2006 can help explain the difference. It revealed that all research funded by the industry did not find the effect of exposure to BPA, while 92% of industry-unpublished studies showed significant negative effects .

Crux: BPA is similar in structure to estrogen hormone. It can bind to estrogen receptors and affect the function of the body.

BPA can cause infertility in men and women

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
BPA can negatively affect many aspects of both male and female fertility

BPA can affect some aspects of fertility.

One study found that women who had frequent miscarriages with BPA were about three times higher in blood than successful pregnant women .

Furthermore, studies of women on reproductive therapy show that those with higher BPA levels have lower egg production and are less likely to become pregnant twice .

Among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), the men with the highest BPA levels were 30 to 46 percent less likely to produce quality embryos .

A separate study found that men with levels of BPA were three to four times more likely to have low sperm concentration and low sperm count .

In addition, men working in BPA manufacturing companies in China reported that 4.5 times of erectile dysfunction was difficult and dissatisfied with sex life compared to other men .

However, although the above effects are noticeable, some recent reviews agree that more research is needed to strengthen evidence .

Crux: Some studies show that BPA can negatively affect many aspects of both male and female fertility.

Negative impact of BPA on newborns

Most studies - but not all - have observed that babies born to mothers exposed to BPA at work weigh less than 0.5 lb (or 0.2 kg) compared to their babies. unexposed mother .

Children born to parents exposed to BPA also tend to have shorter, this point also shows the BPA hormonal effects during development .

In addition, children born to mothers with higher BPA levels are hyperactive, more anxious and depressed. They also showed that the ability to react emotionally was 1.5 times and agitated 1.1 times stronger .

Finally, early BPA exposure is also thought to affect prostate development and increase the risk of breast cancer.

However, while there are many animal studies to support this study, human studies are still less convincing .

Crux: Early exposure to BPA can affect birth weight, development of hormones, behavior and cancer risk in later life.

Exposure to BPA is linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
Studies in humans have examined the relationship between BPA levels and blood pressure.

The report shows that the risk of hypertension is 27-135% higher in people with high BPA levels .

In addition, a survey of 1,455 Americans indicated an association between higher BPA levels and increased risk of heart disease by 18-63% and 21-60% higher risk of diabetes .

In a subsequent study, higher BPA levels were associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes higher than 68-130% .

Finally, people with the highest levels of BPA are 37% more likely to develop insulin resistance, a factor that causes metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes .

However, some studies found no link between BPA and these diseases .

Crux: Higher BPA levels appear to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

BPA may increase the risk of obesity

Obese women are found to have 47% higher BPA levels than normal people .

Some studies also report that people with the highest BPA level may have 50-85% more likely to be obese and 59% may have a larger waist. However, not all studies confirm these results .

Interestingly, similar ways were observed in children and adolescents .

However, despite exposure to prenatal BPA related events weight increase in animal models, but this is not yet confirmed in humans .

Crux: Exposure to BPA is associated with an increased risk of obesity and increased waist circumference. However, more research is needed to prove it.

BPA may be the cause of other health problems

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
Contact with BPA should be avoided to avoid risk of disease

Exposure to BPA may also be related to the following health problems:

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): BPA levels in women with 46% higher than healthy people .
  • Preterm birth: Women with higher BPA levels during pregnancy had a 91% chance of having a baby before 37 weeks .
  • Asthma: More prenatal BPA exposure, especially at week 16, is associated with the risk of wheezing in infants younger than 6 months of age than 130%. Young children exposed to BPA are also associated with wheezing during childhood .
  • Liver function: Higher BPA levels are associated with a 29% higher risk of abnormal liver enzymes .
  • Immune function: High BPA levels may be associated with poor immune function .
  • Thyroid function: Higher BPA levels are associated with abnormal thyroid hormone levels, indicating impaired thyroid function .
  • Brain function: African green monkeys are exposed to BPA levels judging from safety shows the disconnection between brain cells .

Crux: Exposure to BPA is also linked to a number of other health problems. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

How to minimize exposure to BPA

What Is BPA And Why Is It Not Good For Health?
Surely you want to avoid BPA because of the negative effects in many studies.

It is impossible to avoid BPA completely, but there are a number of ways to get rid of exposure in most cases.

Here are some effective ways to minimize exposure to BPA:

  • Avoid packaged foods: Eat lots of fresh food. Keep away from canned or packaged food in plastic containers with recycling numbers no. 3, 7 or "PC".
  • Drink from glass bottles: Buy drinks in glass bottles instead of plastic bottles or cans, and use baby glass bottles instead of plastic bottles.
  • Stay away from BPA products : as much as possible, avoid contact with receipts.
  • Selecting toys: Make sure that the plastic toys you buy for your baby are made of materials that do not contain BPA, especially toys that young children can chew or suck.
  • Do not put plastic in the microwave : Cook in a microwave and store food in glassware, not plastic.
  • Buy formula milk for babies: Some people recommend using powder instead of liquid from a container containing BPA because the liquid is able to absorb more BPA from the container.

Crux: There are a few simple ways to significantly reduce exposure to BPA from diets and the environment.

Should you worry about BPA?

By looking at the evidence, gradually limiting exposure to BPA would be a good idea.

In particular, pregnant women may benefit from efforts to avoid BPA as much as possible, especially in the early stages of pregnancy.

For others, occasionally drinking from a "PC" plastic bottle or eating from a box may not be a reason to panic.

It is also advised that exchanging plastic containers with a BPA-free box does not cost much to eliminate a large potential impact.

Plus, when it comes to the diet, the Fresh raw food Related to optimal health is rarely packed in containers containing BPA.