Dr. Mercola February 23 2008 57,229 views
The amount of dangerous bisphenol A (BPA) that leaches from plastic bottles into the drinks they contain is most dependent on the liquid‘s temperature, according to new research. When both new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles were exposed to boiling hot water, BPA was released 55 times more rapidly.
BPA an endocrine disruptor which mimics your body‘s natural hormones. Hormones serve different functions throughout your body. BPA has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development.
The increased release of BPA continued even after the hot liquid was removed, meaning that even washing plastic cups or bottles in a hot dishwasher could lead to increased BPA content in cold drinks.
According to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study, BPA was detected in the urine of 95 percent of the people tested. Scientists have also measured BPA in the blood, umbilical cord and placenta of pregnant women, finding all were at levels that have demonstrated altered fetal development in animals.
Clearly, our widespread use and reliance on the convenience of plastic products is now catching up with us.
Fortunately, the reality is starting to hit home, and changes can be seen here and there. One large Canadian retailer decided to remove the wildly popular Nalgene plastic water containers from their stores, for example, due to concerns about BPA.
What’s the Problem With BPA?
BPA mimics the sex hormone estradiol (estrogen), which can trigger major changes in your body. Of 115 published animal studies, 81 percent found significant effects from even low-level exposure to BPA.
Interestingly enough, NONE of the 11 industry-funded studies found any significant effects, whereas 90 percent of the government-funded studies did. Yet another piece of “coincidental evidence” that shows the power of money. Always check who funded the study before drawing your final conclusions about the results.
According to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Smart Plastics Guide, adverse effects from BPA exposure include:
Who’s at Greatest Risk? According to Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the sharpest warning goes out to women of childbearing age. Early-life exposure can lead to genetic damage, as BPA causes chromosomal errors at even low levels.
These chromosomal errors in the developing fetus can also lead to spontaneous miscarriages.
BPA caught researchers’ attention after normal mice began to display uncommon genetic abnormalities. The defects were linked to plastic cages and water bottles that had been cleaned with a harsh detergent, causing BPA to leach out of the plastic. After determining how much BPA the mice had been exposed to, they realized that even an extremely small dose of 20 parts per billion daily, for just five to seven days, was enough to produce effects.
Heat Releases More Toxin The problem with BPA is that it doesn’t stay put in the plastic. It leeches into whatever food or beverage you put in a plastic container, canned goods, or plastic baby bottle.
And if you microwave the containers or bottles, or put hot liquids or foods into them, you increase the amount of BPA that leaches into your food or drink 55 times faster than when used cold!
Hopefully that’s enough food for thought to help you decide it’s time to switch that plastic coffee mug you lug around to something else. 10 Tips to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA
To be fair, you probably can’t completely eliminate your exposure to BPA any longer, since it’s likely in our air, water, and food, too, but you can certainly reduce it.
The following tips will not only reduce your exposure to BPA, but also to many of the other dangerous plastics chemicals as well.
1. Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby 2. Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones 3. Store your food and beverages in glass -- NOT plastic -- containers 4. IF you choose to use a microwave, don’t microwave food in a plastic container 5. Stop buying and consuming canned foods and drinks 6. Avoid using plastic wrap (and never microwave anything covered in it) 7. Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups, and replace them with glass varieties 8. If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older, scratched-up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don’t wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more chemicals to leach into your food 9. Avoid using bottled water; filter your own using a reverse osmosis filter instead 10. Before allowing a dental sealant to be applied to you, or your children’s teeth, ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA
In the event that you do opt to use plastic containers for your food, be sure to avoid those marked on the bottom with the recycling label No. 7, (which looks like this ) as these varieties may contain BPA. Containers marked with the recycling labels No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA, but they do contain other unsavory chemicals that you’re best off avoiding as well. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Smart Plastics Guide offers more detailed descriptions of the most commonly occurring chemicals in plastic products. They also offer this handy reminder:
"With your food, use 4, 5, 1 and 2. All the rest aren't good for you."
The website Mother Jones also offers a handy chart that you can cut out and stick on your refrigerator.
It’s Not Too Late – Detoxify!
One point worth noting is that BPA supposedly does not hang around in your body long after you’re exposed. Yet, this chemical is so pervasive that scientists believe people are simply being continually exposed to it from food, air, dust, and even just by touching items that contain BPA.
Therefore, in addition to limiting your continual exposure, a detox program is a good idea. Especially if you’re planning a pregnancy.
There are numerous methods that can be used to help detoxify your body, varying in cost, time and efficacy. I tend to gravitate toward treatments that are simple, effective, inexpensive, and don't involve taking a lot of supplements.
The treatments below fit all of these criteria, and can be incorporated into your daily life. They all work to support your body's natural detoxification systems, namely your digestive system, liver, kidneys, lungs and skin.
Seaweed, Thank you so much for info on HDPE. Mercola has said milky coloured plastic bottles were the worst, which is what my raw organic milk comes in. I was so pleased to see its bottle has a no. 2 resin code.
Actually, from what I've read, the coating on aluminum cans, cardboard milk and juice containers, stainless steel is often epoxy of Bisphenol A (BpA) which is a potent hormone disruptor and that which is well documented at http://www.ourstolenfuture.org and by Dr. Mercola.
Given a choice, I avoid using plastic.
For 25 years, I've purchased my water in 5 gallon glass bottles from Mountain Valley Spring Water in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is America's oldest and safest bottled water company, and one of which a couple that chemically sensitive people have the least problems. Mountain Valley Spring also sells water in glass 1 liter or smaller size bottles.
But, also available from Mountain Valley Spring Water is plastic. I recommend avoiding plastics! Not only does it taste awful, but the pigments, plasticizers, or plastic components can leach into water which sits on the shelves, or in a warm store room/truck.
The Natural Resources Defense Council has an online study which says, amongst other things: **...City tap water must meet standards for certain important toxic or cancer-causing chemicals such as phthalate (a chemical that can leach from plastic, including plastic bottles); some in the industry persuaded FDA to exempt bottled water from regulations regarding these chemicals...**
www.nrdc.org/.../exesum.asp
The only thing that stops me from buying a distiller is that the distiller collects its water in a polycarbonate storage vessel. If I could find a glass container that would fit the distiller, I'd change in a minute because of the lack of regulations on bottled water.
I'm making more of my own juice from fresh fruit and vegetables, meaning less plastics.
Mason jars are great for freezing and are relatively inexpensive for what you get (look for them in the spring/summer in your grocery store). Just remember to leave some headroom on top or you'll get an unpleasant surprise in your freezer. ;)
I bought a set of glass storage containers, various sizes, that have green plastic covers. I believe they are Martha Stewart brand, and I found them at my local KMart (which is, amazingly, still open even with Target just down the street.)
Russ, that's easy for you to say, living in CA. For us who live in the northern tier of states a freezer is a necessity. No way could I afford to buy fresh organic produce for 9 months, but I can eat from my own freezer. That's also where my grass-fed beef, pork and free-range chicken spend the rest of the year, after they have gone to meet their maker. I should add that I do buy a modest amount of fresh produce weekly for salads and for juicing, but of course it's not local!
I use Corningware or Pyrex glass refrigerator containers, which have rubberized plastic lids. I simply make certain that the food has cooled before placing the lid on top to avoid condensation and potential dripping onto food. The food is then stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
When I have foods with a lot of liquid, I re-use clean mayonnaise or peanut butter jars, again making certain foods have cooled prior to screwing on lids.