Exposure to Plastic Chemical BPA Harms Intestines, Study Finds

Posted on January 5, 2010 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, Parenting

Exposure to the toxic plastic chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) can cause damage to the intestines, a new study has found for the first time.

BPA exposure has long been linked to reproductive damage and other harmful effects in humans. The study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences Journal found BPA also damages the intestines.

For the study, laboratory rats were exposed to doses of BPA that was 10 times the amount considered safe. The animals developed damage to the lining of the intestines, a condition called poor intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome, the French study found.

The damage to the intestines makes it harder for water and other nutrients to be absorbed by the body, the study found. Also, younger rats exposed to BPA while in the uterus or through feeding after birth were at greater risks of suffering intestinal inflammation later in life. Inflammation of the intestines can increase the chances of bacteria and other harmful materials entering the intestines.

Widely Used Chemical Linked to Injuries

BPA is used to make hard plastics like infant bottles and sippy cups as well as the linings of food containers and soda cans. While low levels of the chemical are found in nearly everyone and believed to be safe, people – especially young developing children — who are exposed to higher amounts of BPA may be at risk of developing serious health complications.

Researchers suspect BPA acts like the hormone estrogen inside the body, causing complications with reproductive and neural development, among other problems.