Plastic Chemical BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Says
Countless scientific studies have found exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic bottles, food container liners, and other consumer products can lead to developmental delays in children, impotence in men, and other serious health complications.
Now, a new study from U.S. and British researchers finds high levels of BPA in the urine can cause heart disease. The new findings are sure to add fuel to the growing fire of controversy involving BPA and may bolster efforts from governments and consumer groups calling for bans on the use of BPA in certain products.
Millions at Risk of BPA Injury
Researchers led by the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England confirmed earlier findings of an apparent link between BPA and heart problems, according to a Reuters news report.
“The risks associated with exposure to BPA may be small, but they are relevant to very large numbers of people,” the research team said, according to Reuters. “This information is important since it provides a great opportunity for intervention to reduce the risks.”
Study Links BPA to Diabetes, Liver Disease
The study of nearly 1,500 people between the ages of 18 and 74 also bolstered other studies, which have linked BPA to diabetes and some forms of liver disease. Its findings were published by the Public Library of Science online science journal PLoS One.
BPA is widely used to make clear plastic beverage containers, including infant bottles and sippy cups. However, scientists have found when the chemical is absorbed into the body, it can mimic the hormone estrogen.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now conducting further study of BPA and considering whether any action needs to be taken with regards to its use.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health found in 2008 that BPA can have harmful effects on development of the prostate and brain and for behavioral changes in fetuses, infants and children.
By most estimates, BPA can be found in 90 percent of U.S. and European residents.
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