Why is BPA bad?

BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a chemical compound found in various household products including hard plastics.  Based on current research, this compound can also be found in various packaging and coatings for beverages and food containers.  Items like baby bottles, soda bottles, electronic devices, and dental products, for example, are said to contain BPA.  Along with its wide use in a variety of products, many people have questioned its safety for humans.  BPA is known to have properties similar to bodily hormones that may disrupt the natural systems in the body.  Food and other products that are exposed to BPA are banned and/or highly regulated in many areas because of the chemical’s bad effects on one’s health.

BPA is considered an endocrine disruptor making it bad for people’s health.  This means that when humans are exposed to this chemical compound, the endocrine glands that secrete natural hormones are affected and disrupted with their normal function. This also means that the production of hormones may be affected thereby resulting in various medical concerns.

With the normal production of bodily hormones being affected, BPA is labeled as being dangerous to people’s health.  There are various concerns that exposure to BPA can lead to various disorders in the reproductive system.  BPA is said to mimic the functions of the hormone estrogen and so it may affect women who are pregnant and could also pose a concern for unborn babies.  In the case of males, exposure to BPA is also found to cause sexual problems like erectile dysfunction and impotence.  Disruptions in the level of sexual hormones in men are the main effect of BPA and thereby exposes some men to these disorders.

There are also several studies linking Bisphenol A to various other medical illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and cardiovascular problems, among others.  Some studies also found that BPA can also affect the effectiveness of certain drugs especially those administered during chemotherapy.