Human Exposure to BPA Higher Than Earlier Estimates, Study Says

Americans are exposed to the hormone-disrupting chemical, BPA, at levels eight times higher than those recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Missouri and Washington State University reached that conclusion after tests showed that the effects on animals of the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA — a potentially harmful compound found in thousands of everyday plastics, including bottles — is more relevant to human health than previously thought. After administering the chemical daily to mice and monkeys and comparing those findings with previous studies on BPA exposure to women, the scientists found similarities in the way BPA is metabolized by humans and animals; the chemical has previously been shown to mimic critical hormones and disrupt development in animals. While it is known that humans are regularly exposed to BPA, there is considerable debate whether it remains in human blood and is able to mimic important hormones. “This study provides convincing evidence that BPA is dangerous to our health at current levels of human exposure,” said Frederick vom Saal, a University of Missouri researcher. The research was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.