Toxic BPA levels increase by a shocking 1,200 percent after eating canned food

A Harvard study suggests that avoiding BPA packaging most of the time isn’t enough to avoid its toxic side effects. Even a daily bowl of canned soup is enough to spike your BPA levels by more than 1,200 percent. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health studied…

BPA may cause arrhythmia, heart attacks in women

Bisphenol A overrides the natural heartbeat signal causing female heart cells to misfire, according to a recent study. Given how pervasive BPA is these days, this could mean heart problems, possibly even fatal ones, for millions of women. BPA is everywhere BPA is…

Global food giants are moving away from BPA in packaging

(NaturalNews)Major food companies are starting to announce plans to remove the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from their packaging in response to growing consumer concern and the looming specter of new government regulations. Ninety percent of the U.S. residents…

Study finds connection between prenatal exposure to BPA and aggression during toddler years

(NaturalNews) Researchers from the Harvard University School of Public Health have made a disturbing new discovery about the plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). It turns out that prenatal BPA exposure can spur aggressive and undesirable behaviors in girls after they are born and reach their toddler years. Published in the journal Pediatrics , the study analyzed a group of 244 mothers and their three-year-old daughters living in the Cincinnati, Oh., area. The study team gathered and studied gestational and childhood BPA exposures using urine samples from the mothers, and compared various exposure levels among the children to their respective behavioral profiles. The team discovered that for each ten-fold increase in gestational BPA exposure levels, young girls exhibited significantly more indicators of anxiety and depression than their less- or non-exposed counterparts. Young girls exposed to high BPA levels were also more emotionally disturbed than the others and had a more difficult time controlling their inhibitions. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly funded the study as part of an investigation into the safety of BPA. “Parents should be concerned about these findings,” says study author Joe Braun. “As the mothers concentration of BPA rose, the girls born to those mothers had higher scores on these behavior problem indices. If pregnant women or parents are concerned about exposure to BPA, they can try to reduce it by limiting their exposure to canned foods and packaged foods.” Although these particular findings were limited strictly to females, previous studies have found a similar connection between prenatal BPA exposure and poor behavior in both sexes. Back in 2009, a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that BPA’s endocrine-disrupting effects can harm both girls and boys. Besides impairing proper neurological development, which is likely the reason for behavior problems later in life, prenatal BPA exposure was found to “masculinize” unborn females, and “feminize” unborn males. It appears, based on that study, that BPA actually blocks the proper growth and development of human sex hormones (http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/48065/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__BPA_in_the_womb_shows_link_to_kids%E2%80%99_behavior). Both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), however, continue to insist that BPA is safe, despite the plethora of scientific data showing that the chemical is harmful. Sources for this article include: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/study-links-bpa-exposure-in-womb-to-behavior-problems-in-toddler-girls/2011/10/24/gIQA6ihRDM_story.html http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/48065/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__BPA_in_the_womb_shows_link_to_kids%E2%80%99_behavior

Susan G. Komen for the Cure openly denies science by claiming BPA exposure has no connection to breast cancer, insists chemical is safe

(NaturalNews) The breast cancer research group Susan G. Komen for the Cure seems more interested in keeping its chemical industry donors happy than it is in actually finding a cure for breast cancer. A recent story in Mother Jones explains that, despite the more than 130 scientific studies that demonstrate a clear connection between bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and breast cancer, the group continues to deny any link between the two, and insists that BPA is safe. Seemingly countless studies in recent years have shown that BPA, which is found in plastics, can liners, store receipts, and other consumer products, is linked to breast cancer and other diseases. The European Union (EU), Canada, and some localized areas of the US have all banned the chemical in baby products for this very reason. Even the US President’s Cancer Panel in its 2010 report explains that BPA exposure can cause breast cancer, cause breast cancer cells to proliferate, and even make healthy cells act like cancer cells (http://www.naturalnews.com/028765_environmental_chemicals_cancer.html) But Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which collectively receives millions of dollars every year from companies like the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, General Mills, and Georgia-Pacific, all of which use BPA in their product materials, claims that BPA is safe. The group even makes the absurd statement on its website in defense of BPA that “[l]inks between plastics and cancer are often reported by the media and in email hoaxes.” Such a ridiculous statement makes a little bit more sense, though, when considering that donor Georgia-Pacific’s parent company, Koch Industries, is a major manufacturer of BPA-laden epoxy resins. Manufacturing giant 3M, another major Komen for the Cure donor, is also a member of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association that claims BPA is safe as well. In a telephone interview with Mother Jones , University of Missouri biology professor and BPA export Dr. Frederick vom Saal reportedly told the magazine that Komen for the Cure’s statements concerning BPA demonstrate “significant ignorance.” That a foundation, whose stated goal is to find a cure for cancer, would make such a claim is “astounding,” he added. Komen for the Cure continues to lie to women about the nature of breast cancer Komen for the Cure is notorious for denying a link between any chemical exposure and breast cancer, fueling instead the myth that most cases of breast cancer are inherited. In reality, less than ten percent of breast cancer cases have a hereditary link, while the more than 90 percent of other cases have a definitive environmental link — but Komen for the Cure apparently could not care less about the truth. The sad reality is that the Komen Foundation, which is supported by millions of highly-driven individuals who believe the group is working in the best interests of women, continues to expose itself as nothing but a pseudo-scientific, fraudulent research group. The organization’s continual denial of sound science in favor of its own baseless opinion on the matter shows that another agenda is at work — and it is one that, by all appearances, has no basis in actually curing or preventing breast cancer. Sources for this article include: http://motherjones.com/environment/2011/09/breast-cancer-komen-bpa

BPA levels in humans far higher than previously thought

(NaturalNews) New studies reveal that levels of BPA are massively higher in humans than previously assumed , causing major concern for what has been downplayed by the packaging industry as a false alarm. BPA, or Bisphenol-A, leaches into food from plastic packaging and from the linings of canned foods, causing cancerous tumors and developmental disorders, including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and deformations of sexual organs, especially in newborns. The CDC estimates that over 90% of people in the U.S. are chronically exposed to BPA at over 3000 times the daily level that the FDA reports. Maybe this monstrous difference comes from the fact that the FDA standards ignored more than 100 credible research experiments and studies other than their own . The new FDA regulatory language offers to seek “further public comment and external input on the science surrounding BPA,” but industry lobbyists argue about “safe levels” and do their best to muddy those waters in order to keep the profits margins maximized. Much of the latest research and testing of chemicals in foods is being conducted by the very companies that sell them, or by independent labs hired and well paid to conclude that there is “insufficient evidence of levels harmful to humans.” The FDA and the CDC use the rationale that what kills rats in labs may not have the same effect on humans , but this time, hundreds of tests done on humans reveal otherwise . The BPA label is either on the side or bottom of bottles in black or clear numbers, usually inside of the recycling sign formed by circular arrows. The number 2 means your food is contaminated by aluminum and polyethylene plastic, and the number 7 means there is BPA in your polycarbonate container . To make things worse, if the bottles or cans have been sitting on the shelf at the grocery for months, the toxic levels of BPA are higher, and since there’s no “born-on date,” like beer might have, there’s no telling the age of the container. Also, if the plastic gets heated up, like in a car, more toxins are released into the drink. Plus, canned goods are sterilized at up to 265% Fahrenheit, so the level of BPA released in those foods is horrendous, not to mention the fact that all of the nutrients at that temperature have been depleted from the source. Metal cans have no warning or indicator whatsoever about BPA. The remedy is to simply buy glass only and not have to worry about BPA, but then don’t forget to check for sodium benzoate, BHA, BHT, EDTA, and the other “preservative” criminals. BPA was originally developed in the 1930′s as a synthetic version of the female hormone estrogen. BPA is an endocrine disrupter, meaning it is a chemical that interferes with the hormone system in animals, including humans . Wondering why kids are more hyperactive these days and the doctors suggest prescribing ADHD pharmaceuticals? Bisphenol-A mimics estrogenic activity and enhances mesolimbic dopamine activity, which results in hyperactivity and attention deficits. Still have canned sodas on your grocery list? Ordered up by the USA at 8 billion pounds per year, BPA is one of the highest volume chemicals produced by mankind , having adverse effects in mammals and invertebrates all over the world. Canned goods sell particularly well in times of recession and financial stress. In February of 2009, the United States saw an 11.5% rise in canned food sales alone. The highest concentrations recorded are in chicken soup, infant formula and ravioli . By the way, it’s also in your dental fillings. The EPA has not even evaluated BPA for possible carcinogenic activity, and food packaging executives and lobbyists are still planning to use a pregnant woman in their advertising in order to reassure Americans that BPA is safe for children. Remember, an advertisement’s slogan is often a cover up for the product’s greatest weakness. Sources for this article include: http://environment.about.com/od/bisphenolabpa/f/who-regulates-bpa.htm http://environment.about.com/b/2009/12/01/fda-misses-deadline-for-new-assessment-of-bpa-safety.htm http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/bpa_tips.htm http://environment.about.com/b/2009/05/29/bisphenol-a-industry-plans-new-tactics-to-improve-public-image-of-bpa.htm http://environment.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bpa-exposure-causes-sexual-problems-in-men.htm http://greenliving.about.com/od/healthyliving/g/what-is-bpa-bisphenol-a.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3080921/ http://www.ewg.org/bisphenol-a-info?gclid=CMyR96Xyx6sCFcwbQgodbm073w http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/BisphenolA_FactSheet.html http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm

BPA exposure before birth linked to breast cancer

(NaturalNews) To many people interested in healthy living, the term BPA is nothing new. It stands for bisphenol A, an industrial chemical used in many hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans since the 1960s. A known hormone disruptor, BPA is hard to avoid. But once you learn about its dangers, you know why it’s worth the effort to look for BPA-free products. For example, NaturalNews has carried story after story about evidence that links BPA to all sorts of serious health problems from cancer, kidney and developmental problems to heart disease and diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/024207_BPA_health_plastics.html#ixzz1ZfCMqUyV). Now there’s breaking research news showing how BPA could be doing harm inside the bodies of babies even before they are born. Another modern day plague is also associated with prenatal BPA exposure — breast cancer. A recent study conducted by scientists at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research found that exposure in the womb to the kinds of BPA doses that are widespread in the environment alters long-term hormone response in females. The study, which is set for publication in Molecular Endocrinology , a journal of the Endocrine Society, shows BPA can cause dangerous changes in breast development that increase the odds of developing cancer. The scientists pointed out in a media statement that although their BPA study used animals, it mimicked the exposure humans typically have to the compound as it leaches from BPA-containing plastics, such as beverage bottles, and the lining of tin cans. The research team added the chemical to the drinking water of breeding mice. Then, after weaning, the female mice from BPA-drinking parents were moved to a BPA-free environment and followed over time. The researchers analyzed changes in the mammary glands of female offspring exposed to BPA through their mothers both before birth and while being breast fed and discovered BPA exposed females showed an increased response to the hormone progesterone. This is a crucial point because lifetime exposure to progesterone is associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. What’s more, the researchers found that adult females who had been exposed to BPA while in the womb and breast fed had a 1.5 fold increase in cell numbers in their milk ducts. They may not sound like such a big deal but consider this: it is comparable to what’s seen with similar exposure to diethyllbestrol (DES), another estrogenic compound. And DES, widely prescribed by mainstream doctors to millions of pregnant U.S. women for over 30 years as a “safe” treatment to prevent miscarriages, was eventually found to cause horrific health problems in later life to the children of those women. A lesson from the DES nightmare Although DES use was halted in l971, health problems continue to haunt, and sometimes kill, the children of the women who took the drug, including many who had no idea their mothers were given the dangerous “miscarriage treatment.” In general, women whose mothers took DES reached their young adulthood before problems started showing up — including the inability to have children due to a misshapen uterus and cancer. According to the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research scientists, DES in the human population has been shown to increase the relative risk of women developing breast cancer two-fold by the time they reach their fifties. BPA, unlike DES, is not a prescribed drug that can be taken off the market. It is already widespread and is now detected in body fluids of more than 90 percent of the human population — which means it could be putting far more people at risk for health problems than even the large numbers exposed to DES. Long known to have estrogen-like properties, many scientists have expressed concern exposure to BPA could have developmental effects on various hormone-responsive organs including the breasts. However, the FDA has continued to “study” the problem and do little to actually protect the public from BPA. In fact, the feds have been far more aggressive going after people selling unpasteurized milk than mega corporations manufacturing and selling BPA loaded products. The latest official statement from the US government this year noted that “On the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA.” That’s right. The FDA only has “some” concern and they are waiting on the completion of other studies before taking a meaningful stand on the safety of BPA — as if there were not already multiple studies completed by numerous scientists providing evidence that BPA is a clear and present risk to the human population. “While we cannot extrapolate these results directly from mice to humans, the possibility that some of the increase in breast cancer incidence observed over the past decades may be attributed to exposure to BPA cannot be dismissed,” Cathrin Brisken, MD, of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research and co-author of the study, said in a statement to the media. “Our study suggests that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should avoid exposure to BPA as it may affect their daughters breast tissue.” [Editor's Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and wellbeing of all living creatures.] Sources for this article include: http://mend.endojournals.org/ http://www.endo-society.org/ http://www.naturalnews.com/BPA.html http://www.naturalnews.com/024207_BPA_health_plastics.html http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/DES

BPA plastics chemical found to feminize males

(NaturalNews) Don’t worry, be happy. Just ignore the fact that countless researchers have warned time and time again that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA for short) is a major hormone disruptor and is a huge threat to human health. After all, we must all be safe because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would have banned the stuff long before now if there was really any problem, right? If you agree with the above, you might also think the deadly radiation still spewing from nuclear reactor meltdowns in Japan is nothing to worry about, either. But the truth is always better than sticking your head in the sand, and this is exactly what the FDA seems to be doing when it comes to BPA. Here’s the latest breaking news on what has become an environmental nightmare for both humans and possibly wildlife while the FDA does nothing but express “some concern” that BPA might not be perfectly safe. University of Missouri researchers have evidence that BPA causes male deer mice to lose their masculinity and behave more like females. In fact, female mice sense something isn’t quite “right” about BPA exposed males and don’t want to mate with them. The scientists conclude that exposure to BPA during human development could also be wreaking havoc on hormones and distorting and disrupting behavioral and cognitive traits that are unique to each sex and important in reproduction. “The BPA-exposed deer mice in our study look normal; there is nothing obviously wrong with them. Yet, they are clearly different,” said Cheryl Rosenfeld, associate professor in biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and investigator in the Bond Life Sciences Center, in a statement to the media. “Females do not want to mate with BPA-exposed male deer mice, and BPA-exposed males perform worse on spatial navigation tasks that assess their ability to find female partners in the wild.” “This study sets the stage for BPA researchers to examine how BPA might differentially impact the behavioral and cognitive patterns of boys versus girls,” Rosenfeld added. “Investigators looking for obvious BPA-induced differences, such as chromosome deletions or DNA mutations, could be missing subtle behavioral differences that eventually lead to long-term adverse outcomes, including demasculinization of male behaviors with a decreased reproductive fitness.” For the new study, the researchers fed female deer mice a BPA-supplemented diet for two weeks prior to breeding and throughout lactation. The mothers were given a dosage equivalent to what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers a non-toxic dose for pregnant women to ingest. When the deer mice offspring were weaned at 25 days of age, they were fed on a non-supplemented BPA diet. Then, after the rodents matured into adults, their behavior was tested to study each mouse’s ability to navigate a maze to safety. Male deer mice normally have an enhanced spatial navigational ability. It’s important because it allows them to find female mates that are dispersed throughout the environment. Female deer mice do not need to search for mates so their navigational abilities have not been enhanced by evolution. But when the University of Missouri researchers tested the navigational skills of male mice that had been exposed to BPA early in their development, something was terribly wrong. Each male mouse had two five minute opportunities per day, for seven days, to try to find their way in to a home cage through one of several holes placed around the edge of an open maze. What’s more, the maze was marked with a set of visible navigational cues to help the animals. Yet many of them could not find the exit. On the other hand, all the male mice who had not been exposed to BPA found the correct exit quickly – some on the first day. Adding to the strong evidence that the BPA dramatically changed the ability of the male mice to navigate normally, the scientists found that the non-BPA exposed mice quickly learned the most direct approach to finding the correct hole, while the exposed males appeared to sort of randomly and inefficiently wander around looking. The female deer mice also were turned off by potential mates who had been exposed to BPA. In a mate choice experiment, the scientists measured the females’ level of interest in a stranger male by observing specific behaviors, such as nose-to-nose sniffing and the amount of time the female spent checking out her potential partner. According to Dr. Rosenfeld, both non-exposed and BPA-exposed females strongly preferred control males over BPA-exposed males. “These findings presumably have broad implications to other species, including humans, where there are also innate differences between males and females in cognitive and behavioral patterns,” Rosenfeld said in the media statement. “In the wide scheme of things, these behavioral deficits could, in the long term, undermine the ability of a species such as the deer mouse to reproduce in the wild. Whether there are comparable health threats to humans remains unclear, but there clearly must be a concern.” This research, which is set for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , is the latest in a mounting and damning array of studies showing the dangers of BPA. For example, as NaturalNews has covered extensively, BPA has been found to cause precancerous conditions, kidney and developmental problems in animals. And research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that humans could be walking time bombs of health problems related to the ingestion of BPA, which is found in virtually all packaged foods. The JAMA study reported for the first time that the chemical might well be linked to the epidemic of heart disease and diabetes in this country (http://www.naturalnews.com/024207_BPA_health_plastics.html). Editor’s note: NaturalNews is opposed to the use of animals in medical experiments that expose them to harm. We present these findings in protest of the way in which they were acquired. For more information: http://www.naturalnews.com/BPA.html http://www.missouri.edu/

Plastics chemical in packaged foods linked to asthma in babies

(NaturalNews) BPA, also known as bisphenol-A, is a chemical compound often used in the production of a large variety of plastics. The widespread use of BPA has come under public scrutiny due to known connection to a host of health problems, including heart complications, cancer, neurological issues, diabetes and fertility and sexual issues. http://www.naturalnews.com/027736_BPA_sexual_dysfunction.html The chemical can be found in water bottles, dental fillings, plastic containers, canned food linings http://www.naturalnews.com/025128_BPA_food_companies.html, paper receipts, CD/DVD packaging, and more. Numerous studies have found that BPA acts as an endocrine system disrupter, negatively affecting our bodies’ hormone production. Exposure is almost a certainty -a 2004 study by the CDC found BPA in 93% of the over 2000 urine samples tested. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that new information has surfaced linking BPA to breathing issues in babies. An article in Mail Online, discussed the results of a recent study by Penn State College of Medicine. The results found that pregnant mothers with high levels of BPA in their blood during the 16th week of pregnancy are “twice as likely to have infants with wheezing problems in the first six months of life.” What is really scary is that 99% of all the mothers in this study had various levels of bisphenol-A in their systems. There is no question that the use of bisphenol-A use in food and drinking containers should be banned. Even though no country has yet to go that far, Denmark http://www.wecf.eu/english/articles/2010/03/denmark-bisphenola.php was the first country in the EU to ban the chemical in containers that target children under 3; and the entire EU has banned it from use in the production of baby bottles. Northern America has been a bit slower on the uptake but Canada and some states in the United States have begun taking steps to control the use of bisphenol- A in consumer products. Six baby bottle manufacturers removed the chemical from their U.S. bottle production after widespread public outcry. Of course, the plastics industry prefers to spend money to procure studies http://acronymrequired.com/2008/10/fda-bpa-glp.html that cast doubt on the dangers of BPA, rather than implanting BPA safe alternatives. So again, consumers must take steps to protect themselves. Expectant mothers and women planning to conceive should be diligent in avoidance of bisphenol-A contaminated products- it is imperative for the well being of themselves and their infants. Resources: 1. http://www.naturalnews.com/031651_BPA_chemicals.html 2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382525/Chemicals-food-packaging-linked-breathing-problems-babies.html?ito=feeds-newsxml 3. http://www.naturalnews.com/025804_BPA_Baby_Bottles.html

Plastics chemical BPA reduces sperm health

(NaturalNews) Exposure to the ubiquitous industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has once again been linked to decreased sperm health, this time in humans, in a study conducted by researchers from Kaiser Permanente and published in the journal Fertility and Sterility . The findings are of particular concern because symptoms were found at very low exposures, and because BPA is so widespread. “BPA, a plastic and resin ingredient used to make a wide variety of plastic goods and to line metal food and drink cans (ever wonder how those canned contents slip so easily out and onto your plate, or into your bowl or mouth?), is a toxin associated with birth defects of the male and female reproductive systems,” write Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith in their book The Detox Strategy . “BPA is commonplace — found in copious brands of fruit, vegetables, soda, and other frequently eaten canned goods. It migrates from the can or plastic into the contents, which are then ingested.” BPA is also found in coatings of electronics, in paper receipts and a variety of other common products. In the current study, researchers followed 218 workers at a Chinese epoxy resin factory for five years, testing urine samples for BPA and measuring sperm concentration, count, motility, morphology and vitality. They found that men with the highest BPA concentrations in their urine were four times more likely to have low sperm count and twice as likely to have low sperm motility as men with no detectable BPA levels. Men with high concentrations also had significantly lower sperm concentration and vitality. The effects were found at levels common among the general population. “This study counters the argument that only highly exposed populations are affected,” researcher De-Kun Li said. “You can be exposed from the workplace. You can be exposed from consumer products. It doesn’t really matter.” “For the past few decades, sperm counts have been declining [and] this might be related to exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA,” said reproductive physiologist Gail Prins of the University of Illinois, who was not involved in the study. Sources for this story include: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39888170/ns/health-mens_health/.

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