Natural remedies such as folate, probiotics, and sweating may help eliminate this ubiquitous toxin.
A recent study revealed a direct link between the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) and two of the most prevalent childhood disorders: autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The body’s ability to detoxify BPA—a chemical present in countless everyday plastic items—was reduced in children with these conditions, according to a recent study published in PLOS ONE.
While avoiding BPA entirely is nearly impossible, emerging science suggests that people can maximize their natural detoxification processes in several ways. It may even be as simple as making basic dietary choices and sweating through sauna use.
Ubiquitous BPA Exposure and Health Damage
BPA has been widely used since the 1950s to manufacture plastics and consumer goods. In 1993, scientists discovered that BPA was leaching from polycarbonate flasks and showing estrogenic effects—acting similarly to the female sex hormone estrogen. They also found that BPA was very potent in speeding the growth of breast cancer cells.
Further research has revealed BPA’s damaging effects on the neurological, reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems.
A 2008 study found BPA in nearly 93 percent of the 2,517 participants tested, with higher concentrations in younger participants. A 2020 European research initiative measuring BPA, as well as similar substitutes, in 2,756 adults across 11 countries found that 92 percent had concentrations exceeding a newly updated “tolerable daily intake.”
As recently as September, the PLOS ONE study tested the efficiency of a BPA detoxification process called glucuronidation in children with autism, children with ADHD, and control subjects. An earlier 2015 study linked decreased BPA detoxification to autism. The PLOS ONE study found that detoxification was reduced by 11 percent in the autism group and 17 percent in the ADHD group. The authors concluded that impaired detoxification is a plausible mechanism for both disorders.
Are Alternatives Better?
Despite “BPA-free” labels, replacements such as bisphenol-S (BPS) and bisphenol-B (BPB) may have similarly harmful properties. Emerging research shows that BPS can also disrupt endocrine function and cause chromosomal abnormalities.
By Jano Tantongco
