Bisphenol A Replacement Disrupts Estrogen, Even At Extremely Low Levels

[hatrack]

Oops.

Just like the controversial compound it's designed to replace, a chemical used in cash register receipts and other consumer products messes with hormones, according to research published today.

The study by University of Texas scientists is the first to link low concentrations of bisphenol S (BPS) – a bisphenol A (BPA) alternative – to disruption of estrogen, spurring concern that it might harm human health.

Researchers exposed rat cells to levels of BPS that are within the range people are exposed to. And, just like BPA, the compound interfered with how cells respond to natural estrogen, which is vital for reproduction and other functions. Previous studies already have shown BPS mimics estrogen, but the new study advances that by showing it can alter the hormone at low doses people are exposed to.

“People automatically think low doses do less than high doses,” said Cheryl Watson, a University of Texas biochemistry professor and lead author of the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. “But both natural hormones and unnatural ones like [BPS] can have effects at surprisingly low doses.”

EDIT

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2013/bpa-alternative-alters-hormones

[appal_jack]

1. I figured that all that bpa-free plastic had issues.

I figured that all that bpa-free plastic had issues.

Maybe we should consume less plastic? When I need a paper receipt at all, a simple dot-matrix piece of paper wil suffice. No need fo a graphics-filled, shiny, slick sales pitch to go with it.

k&r

-app