Dangers and risks of Bisphenol A (BPA)

What is bisphenol A and where is it found ?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used in the manufacture of food plastics and resins. Used extensively over the years 1960, BPA can be found in polycarbonate (PC), PVC and epoxy resins which, to avoid a bad taste of food, lining the Interior of the cans, cans etc..

It is also present in other products of common consumption such as food containers (reusable water bottles, baby bottles, conditionnements alimentaires…), kettles, food movies, but also in the ware plastic (plates, couverts…), some dental amalgams, the CD, sunglasses, and even the receipts (We will come back), brief in a nutshell : everywhere !

How does BPA we intoxicated it ?

And after a U.S. study, 95% urine samples collected in the adult population contained BPA.

This chemical substance which is intended to come into contact with food, According to the EASA (European food safety authority), is accused of all evils.

When the container is heated, le BPA se “détache” et infecte les aliments. This is also the case when the container is at room temperature according to Éric Houdeau, chercheur à l’INRA (National Institute of agricultural research of Toulouse). The migration of BPA increases in any case strongly at high temperature.

What are the dangers to health ?

Many recent tests, on animals at first, demonstrated the toxicity of BPA even at low doses. It acts as a endocrine disruptor (It interferes with the hormonal system).

In 2008, the national program of toxicology in the United States (National Toxicology Program) expresses its concern about BPA that would be likely to lead to trouble “brain, behavior, Prostate in fetuses, les nourrissons et les enfants”. The program has also expressed concern about a early onset of puberty in girls [1].

A study on rats shows the effect that BPA can affect the intestine. Eric Houdeau, responsible for the study on bisphenol A, explains that by using daily doses of BPA than those admitted by the AFSSA (the French food safety agency, now handles) who are 0,05 mg per kilogram of body weight, il a été “shown that it is on the intestinal epithelium. It decreases the permeability of this way of exchange of water with mineral salts and causes of water retentions. On the other hand, in newborn rats, une exposition au BPA augmente le risque de développer une inflammation intestinale sévère à l’âge adulte”. The researcher concludes by : “We conducted a study on human intestinal cells in culture. Elles sont également réactives à ce contaminant alimentaire le plus répandu dans nos sociétés occidentales”. In fact approximately 3 million tons of bisphenol A are produced each year in the world !

Bisphenol A would also favour the onset of diabetes, would increase the chances of infertility, would cardiovascular disorders and would make less effective the treatment by chemotherapy during cancer.

In humans it decline in the quality of semen by a drop of sperm and increases the risk of sexual disabilities [2]. This substance is considered to be, par l’INSERM (National Institute of health and medical research), de “préoccupante pour la fertilité de l’espèce humaine”.

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