(NaturalNews) A study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago (released January 7th in the journal Endocrinology) has found that fetal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) greatly increases the risk of developing prostate cancer in humans.

Gail Prins, a professor of physiology and lead author of the paper, conducted the study by inserting human prostate stem cells into mice and exposing those mice to the amount of BPA the average pregnant American woman is exposed to. The mature tissue was then exposed to estrogen amounts as seen in aging men. Over time, one-third of the mice exposed to BPA had developed pre-cancerous lesions/prostate cancer, while only 12 percent of the control group developed precancerous lesions/prostate cancer. In another study, Prins exposed the human prostate cells to BPA before implantation and found that almost half of the tissues had developed pre-cancerous lesions/prostate cancer over time. In a press release, Prins said, "Our research provides the first direct evidence that exposure to BPA during development, at the levels we see in our day-to-day lives, increases the risk for prostate cancer in human prostate tissue. The findings of adverse effects of BPA in human tissue are highly relevant and should encourage agencies like the Food & Drug Administration to re-evaluate their policies in the near future."

Prins noted that exposure comes from commonly used water bottles, canned goods and receipts and is difficult to avoid. She said, "Previous studies have shown that people who avoided all contact with plastics or other BPA-containing objects for up to a month or more still had BPA in their urine, which means they must have come into contact with BPA in the last 24 to 48 hours, since it clears the body rather quickly." Another report published in 2012 showed a 1,000 percent increase in urinary BPA levels in people who consumed one serving of canned soup for five days.

In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported BPA to be hazardous to fetuses, babies and children and later required it to be removed from baby bottles and formula. Little research has been done concerning BPA's effects on adults. However, countless studies have suggested that BPA interferes with brain and nervous system development in infants, young children and fetuses. According to The Daily Green, consumers can help minimize exposure to BPA by reducing consumption of canned foods, buying plastics that are BPA-free, using glass baby bottles and reusable water bottles (stainless steel or aluminum), and avoiding plastic food containers manufactured with #7 plastic. The FDA rejected a petition to ban BPA in food packaging in 2012.

Sources

http://www.medicaldaily.com

http://www.eurekalert.org

http://www.thedailygreen.com

http://www.foodsafetynews.com

http://www.cbsnews.com

http://science.naturalnews.com


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