Should you fear your Tupperware?
In a world where anything from standing too close to your microwave to talking on your cell phone can give you cancer, it really isn’t shocking to discover that yet another one of your daily household items is leading you to an early death. After years of struggling to link BPA, bisphenol A, to numerous health maladies, researchers at Harvard University have finally found solid evidence connecting BPA to infertility and miscarriage.
What is BPA? It is a chemical used in making plastics as well as the coating on canned goods. BPA can even be found in receipts from cash registers. Closely related to BPA, phthalates are another controversial range of chemicals found in perfumes, detergents, children’s toys, raincoats, and various other plastic products. So basically there’s no avoiding them.
Fertility issues are not the only health concerns related to BPA and phthalates. These chemicals are thought to have links to childhood obesity, premature puberty in girls, abnormal sexual development of children still in the womb, and even a shorter lifespan.
So why don’t we just get rid of them? There is no easy replacement for BPA or phthalates and they are found in almost everything. It is also difficult to directly link these chemicals with the various defects they are thought to cause. There are various factors that can cause a miscarriage or drive a child to become obese. Family history, diet, and lifestyle can all play a significant role in the maladies listed above. To say that BPA is the exact reason a person suffered an early death might be pushing the envelope. But as public concern grows, more and more research is being conducted providing the evidence needed to support claims of the danger associated with BPA and phthalates.
What can you do to avoid dying an early, BPA-induced death? To avoid them completely would be ridiculous and probably impossible. However, BPA-free products are sold everywhere. There are also various tips all over the internet to help you lessen your exposure to these toxins. While developing a deep-seated fear of BPA and phthalates is most likely unnecessary, it is always useful to be aware of what we expose our bodies to.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/15/health/bpa-miscarriage-phthalates-fertility/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maia-james/phthalates-health_b_2464248.html
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A small study published in PLOS ONE has found that BPA has been linked to prostate cancer. Based on the study, even very low levels of BPA can disrupt the DNA of new cells being formed causing them to become cancerous. This study shows only an association between BPA and prostate cancer, not a cause and effect relationship. I would still personally avoid using BPA products, especially considering the vast amount of BPA free products available.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/03/04/study-finds-link-between-bpa-and-prostate-cancer/
For the first few years of my nephew’s life, he lived in my house. Over these years I became very familiar with BPA-free baby products. When my nephew first started drinking formula, it was absolutely essential that he drank the special BPA-free water we bought at Babies R Us. Now that he is older, my sister is not nearly as careful about making sure all of her son’s baby products are BPA-free. I was curious as to why BPA is a much more serious concern for babies than it is for older children and adults. After reading an article I found, I have learned that BPA is particularly harmful in infants because it exposes them to high estrogen levels at such a young age. Too much or too little estrogen can alter brain and organ development when exposed in utero or during early childhood, and the human brain grows the most in the first three years of life. This helps explain why it is so important that scientists come up with BPA-free baby products.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe
http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_brainFAQ