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If you haven't ditched your Bisphenol A (BPA) yet, now is a good time. New research out of North Carolina has linked BPA, a chemical often found in #7 plastic water bottles, to reproductive health effects.
BPA is already under scrutiny for being linked to health problems including breast cancer, early puberty, hormone trouble, low sperm count, depression, IQ reduction and now they're finding it's causing ovarian malformations and premature loss of the uterus cycle in rats. That rats were only exposed to 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Lead researcher Dr. Heather Patisaul:
| The 50 mg/kg level is important, because it is equivalent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 'Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Level' for BPA. So, by definition, we should not have seen significant effects at or below this level, but we did. |
From Science Daily:
50 mg /kg level is also significant because it is EPA's listed reference dose for BPA—meaning it is the level of BPA that EPA says a person can be exposed to on a daily basis without expecting any adverse effects after a lifetime of exposure.
So this BPA stuff is really nasty, and now it's linked to infertility. Of course, they’ve only found problems in the lab rats and not in humans, but BPA is garnering a rather long rap sheet.
How to avoid BPA:
- Use glass baby bottles or bottles made of #5 plastic.
- Limit your canned food consumption and buy from companies who make BPA-free cans.
- Buy soups and milks packaged in cardboard (as opposed to plastic or cans).
- Can your own fruit in jars.
- Check out your winemaker. Winemakers that use vats lined with epoxy resin can contain six times the BPA of canned food.
- Choose a BPA-free reusable water bottle.
More on Bottled Water:
How Much Water Do You Need to Drink A Day?
The Only Bottled Water Worth Buying Costs $20
Green Glossary: Boxed Water
What's Your Water IQ?
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