(CNN) –– Check your pantry: have you filled it with canned food since the beginning of the pandemic?
Or are you a receipt hoarder, saving all your purchasing papers for taxes or refunds?
Neither of those habits is probably a great idea, experts warn, if you want to avoid toxic chemicals that are linked to a variety of health conditions in both children and adults.
Metal food and beverage cans have an epoxy resin coating, which is made from a family of chemicals called bisphenols.
Within that group is the infamous bisphenol A (often known as BPA) that was used to make bottles, baby cups, and infant formula containers until concerned parents boycotted those products a decade ago.
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The chemical compound BPA is an endocrine disruptor that affects the body's hormones, and fetuses and babies are especially vulnerable. It has been linked to fetal abnormalities, low birth weight, and brain and behavior disorders in infants and children, as well as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity in adults. One study even found erectile dysfunction in workers exposed to BPA.
Death from any cause can now also be added to that list, according to research published Monday in the JAMA Network Open magazine .
The new study found that people with high levels of bisphenol A in their urine were about 49% more likely to die over a 10-year period.
"This is another piece of the puzzle that convincingly appeals to the severity of the threat posed by these chemicals used in can liners and thermal papers," said study author Dr. Leonardo Trasande, director of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone. Health.
Although this is the first study to reach such a result, "it is not necessarily a big difference from the perspective of what you might expect to happen because those three conditions - obesity, diabetes and heart disease - increase the risk of mortality," Trasande noted. .
It's on your receipts
BPA is an industrial chemical that has been around since the 1960s, and is used to make polycarbonate plastics - water bottles for example - as well as resins used to coat and seal many products.
BPA and “sibling” chemicals can be found in beverage containers, canned food liners, dental sealants, compact discs, plastic tableware, auto parts, shock-resistant safety equipment and many toys, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. the US Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Today, the most common method of exposure for people is through food contaminated by the aluminum coating on cans and beverages. The next highest level of exposure is from thermal paper that is used for receipts in nearly every store, Trasande explained.
"Definitely saying no to that receipt for thermal paper is an easy way to avoid exposure," he said.
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It's very important to understand the risk of exposure during the pandemic, the author added, because studies have shown that the use of hand sanitizer is a key gateway for chemicals to be absorbed by the body.
"One study found that if you come into contact with these thermal paper receipts and use hand sanitizer, you absorb almost 10 times more bisphenols in your body," Trasande said.
Unfortunately, he added, store tellers who use a lot of hand sanitizer face "a very difficult time in the context of the pandemic."
Generally, "these days they wear gloves and that reduces their exposure, all things considered," Trasande said. "But in an ideal world, we would switch to electronic media or go back to previous roles," he added.
The official position
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers that, based on current research, levels of BPA in foods are "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS).
According to the FDA, the National Toxicology Program continues to update itself against investigations of possible harm.
In 2010, the group found "some concern" about the impact on the brain and behavior of fetuses, infants and children, as well as the prostate gland; "Minimal concern" when it comes to the mammary glands or early puberty; and "negligible concern" about fetal abnormalities, low birth weight, or future reproductive problems.
However, a recent review found that in the last five years the evidence about the negative impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on our health has doubled in plastics, pesticides, fire fuels and other commodities.
While BPA accounted for just one of those categories, it is the most studied synthetic chemical and is widely found in human tissue. One research found that drinking water from polycarbonate bottles increased BPA levels by two-thirds for just one week. A CDC report found levels of BPA in the urine of almost all American adults.
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The American Chemistry Council, which represents the US chemicals, plastics and chlorine industries, said the term "endocrine disruptor" was "widely misused" and provided the following statement when CNN released the revision to the evidence:
“To stay below safe exposure ranges, consumers should carefully read product labels and follow directions carefully. Some exposures will not produce any response, while others may cause temporary responses to which the body can naturally adapt and maintain its normal function. The main focus should be the prevention of overexposures to avoid potential health risks.
Increase in the bisphenol family
Although many BPA-free plastic bottles and containers can be found today, health and environmental safety experts say the chemicals that have replaced them can be just as harmful.
This is because they still belong to the same "bisphenol family" and seem to have the same chemical reaction in the body.
"I use an example about the singer Prince to explain it," Trasande said. “Prince renamed himself the artist who used to be called Prince. So I call him the artist formerly known as BPA. And there are 40 BPA replacements now, ”he noted.
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Unfortunately for consumers, Trasande added, science must repeat studies on each of those 40 BPA replacements to establish the health effects they have, although the body is likely to respond similarly to each.
"There is always a delay, but in the meantime, people are still exposed," Trasante warned. "And you have to wonder how much longer we will have to do this before chemicals are regulated by class."
What can you do?
"If you avoid canned food, you avoid the main source of exposure to bisphenol," Trasande explained.
“Now the alternative to canned fruits and vegetables is fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and I think there are some access problems during the pandemic. and the existence of food deserts for certain economically disadvantaged groups. That needs to be addressed, ”he added.
Other ways to protect yourself and your family if you are concerned about exposure to BPA and its related products include:
- Do not microwave food in plastic containers.
- Prefer glass or stainless steel over plastic when buying and storing food.
- Buy dry, fresh, or frozen foods if you can (plastic bags in frozen foods are not a concern, Trasande said, as long as you don't microwave them)
- Do not use strong detergents or plastic washers in the dishwasher
- Avoid thermal paper receipts - opt only to receive them via email
And rest assured, a study found that just a few days after eliminating BPA-like products from your routines, the amount of BPA in your bloodstream is reduced.
BPA Chemical Elements Death Chemicals
