New Study: Plastic Chemical Tied to Heart Disease and Diabetes

Bisphenol A previously associated with developmental problems in fetuses

TUESDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) — Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in plastics that include baby bottles and packaging for food and beverages, may put people at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study concludes.

Adding to the controversy surrounding this ubiquitous chemical, this study fuels the fears of those who want it banned. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in April that BPA was “safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects.”

The research, published in the Sept. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was released early to coincide with a public hearing the FDA is holding on the issue Tuesday.

Read moreNew Study: Plastic Chemical Tied to Heart Disease and Diabetes

Chemicals in Plastic Shown to Cause Reproductive and Neurological Disorders

(NaturalNews) Our children’s brains and reproductive organs may be having their development harmed by an estrogen-like chemical that is present in plastic according to a federal health agency report. BPA is an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic. BPA is also one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals today. It has been shown to seep from hard plastic beverage containers (such as baby bottles) and even from liners in cans that contain food and infant formula.

The National Toxicology Program (part of the National Institutes of Health) has concluded that there is some concern that fetuses, babies and children are being harmed because bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to harm animals at levels that are surprisingly low and found in nearly all humans.

The draft report followed an 18-month review that involved allegations of bias, disputes among scientists, and even the firing of a consulting company that had financial ties to the chemical industry.

Some scientists fear that BPA exposure early in life disrupts hormones and alters genes. This may program a fetus or child for breast or prostate cancer, may set them up for premature female puberty, and may lead to attention deficit disorders and other reproductive or neurological disorders.

Read moreChemicals in Plastic Shown to Cause Reproductive and Neurological Disorders