I've warned you before about the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA), a harmful chemical used in making food containers that mirrors the effects of the sex hormone estradiol. Based on a pair of new studies, scientists believe BPA disrupts the effect of estrogen in the developing brain at surprisingly low doses.
Researchers exposed rats to BPA and monitored their development from the human equivalent of the third trimester of fetal development through the first years of childhood. Minus the presence of estrogen, scientists said, BPA mimicked how estrogen works with developing neurons. Even worse, the near-maximum harm of BPA occurred at the tiny dose of 0.23 parts per trillion.
And that effect happened within minutes, scientists said.
Although researchers were unsure how BPA could affect human health later on, one recent study suggests such exposure could make people more susceptible to breast cancer.
Some excellent tips for avoiding BPA and other hidden toxins in food containers:
Endocrinology, Vol. 146, No. 12, December 2005: 5388-5396
Endocrinology, Vol. 146, No. 12, December 2005: 5397-5406
EurekAlert December 2, 2005