COLUMBIA, Mo., Sept. 20 (UPI) — Researchers say women, female monkeys and female mice have major similarities in how they metabolize the estrogen-like chemical bisphenol A.
Scientists at the University of Missouri say their studies on mice have led them to renew their call for governmental regulation of the chemical found in many everyday products, a university release said Monday.
“This study provides convincing evidence that BPA is dangerous to our health at current levels of human exposure,” Frederick vom Saal, UM professor of biological sciences, said. “The new results clearly demonstrate that rodent data on the health effects of BPA are relevant to predictions regarding the health effects of human exposure to BPA.”
More than 8 billion pounds of BPA are manufactured each year and the compound can be found in many consumer products, including hard plastic items such as baby bottles and food-storage containers, the plastic lining of food and beverage cans, thermal paper used for receipts and dental sealants.
“For years, BPA manufacturers have argued that BPA is safe and have denied the validity of more than 200 studies that showed adverse health effects in animals due to exposure to very low doses of BPA,” Julia Taylor, lead author and UM associate research professor, said. “We know that BPA leaches out of products that contain it, and that it acts like estrogen in the body.”
A number of states including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington, New York and Oregon have passed bills to reduce exposure to BPA. Similar legislation is pending in the U.S. Congress.
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