Silikids

Research shows BPA exposure damages intestines; U.S. senators propose legislation to eliminate BPA from children's products


MCT News Service
In the face of research showing BPA's harmful effects, many people are switching to BPA-free or glass baby bottles, shown here.
Bisphenol-A, casually known as BPA, is a plastics chemical that has gotten much attention in recent years for its suspected harmful effects on health. Many plastic water bottles, can linings, baby bottles and other products contain BPA, and for the first time, research has shown that BPA has negative effects on the intestines.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences Journal showed BPA causes damage to the intestines, the first organ BPA meets after ingestion. According to the research, when rats were exposed to doses of BPA that were 10 times less than the amount thought to be safe for humans, their intestinal linings were damaged. The researchers are from the National Institute of Agronomic Research in Toulouse, France, according to the AFP (Agence France-Presse) newswire.

This damage, known as poor intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome, makes it more difficult for water and other nutrients to be absorbed by the body. In addition, infant rats who were exposed to BPA while in the uterus and through feeding had increased risks of having intestinal inflammation as adults. Inflammation can make it easier for harmful substances, such as bacteria, to come into the intestines and can also result in poor immune system function, according to a related story from emaxhealth.com.

In the face of suspicions about BPA's harmful impact, Sens. Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand, both of New York, are calling for the elimination of BPA from all container linings that hold foods for infants and toddlers in the BPA-Free Kids Act, according to Medical News Today. Schumer and Gillibrand specifically mentioned a study published in December from Consumer Reports, showing almost all of the 19 name-brand foods that were examined had some level of BPA, including some products labeled "BPA-free."

BPA is thought to act like the hormone estrogen when it enters the body, possibly negatively impacting reproductive and neural development, according to the Medical News Today article. BPA is used in many other products, including CDs, DVDs and glasses lenses, and also makes plastics clear and resistant to breaks. The federal guideline right now is 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight, according to Medical News Today, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not officially established how much daily exposure to BPA is safe for humans.

However, many manufacturers and lawmakers have taken steps to eliminate BPA from their products. In June 2008, Canada outlawed the use of BPA in creating plastic baby bottles, according to Medical News Today, and in May, six manufacturers of plastic baby bottles stopped using BPA in their products. And as of Jan. 1, Minnesota outlawed the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups for babies and young children, according to DailyFinance.