Certain manmade chemicals – found in everyday objects – might be scrambling our hormones’ sensitive signaling, says pediatrician Philip Landrigan, director of the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center. Dr. Landrigan said scientists are concerned about chemicals called phthalates, widely used to make plastic flexible, and found in baby toys and medical supplies.
Philip Landrigan: Another is a chemical called BPA, found in a lot of plastic water bottles. It’s found in the lining of most all tin cans on the American market, and it gets into food or water from those products, and then into people.
He said that a survey by the Centers for the Disease Control found that phthalates and BPA are found in varying amounts in the bodies of about 80 to 90 percent of Americans. Landrigan said the best evidence we have that these chemicals can affect humans comes from studies of the chemicals effect on other animals.
Philip Landrigan: It’s like having a thunderstorm when you’re trying to speak on the cell phone and the message breaks up. It’s a similar distortion. They do things like change male and female behavior, they make the males more like females, and the females more like males, also these studies have shown very clearly that phthalates are quite toxic to the reproductive organs of males.
Some say Landrigan’s concerns have been called alarmist. He concedes that levels of these chemicals inside most of us are low.
Philip Landrigan: However, we know so little about the toxic effects of these chemicals in humans, that just because the level is low doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about it.
Landrigan reiterated that scientists are just beginning to do studies to figure out the full effects of these toxins on humans. He explained that the studies of their impact on wildlife have already been going on for a decade or more. He said that, as a pediatrician, he’s especially concerned about the effects of these household chemicals on children, especially in the womb:
Philip Landrigan: There have been a couple of studies published, and some of them are showing that babies who are exposed in the womb to pthalates are having behavior problems, specifically that they’re at greater risk for attention deficit disorder. There have also been studies that have looked at the reproductive organs of baby boys, and these studies have seen some subtle but very real abnormalities in the reproductive structure of baby boys when they’re very carefully examined in the nursery.
He says he finds this very worrisome, and is participating in what’s called the National Children’s Study, which is funded mostly by the U.S. government’s National Institute of Health.
Philip Landrigan: It’s the biggest study of children’s health that’s been undertaken in the United States. This study will follow 100,000 children across the country from conception till age 21. There are also similar multi-year studies of children’s health going on in Europe and Asia. All of these studies have the common purpose of discovering links between [chemical] exposures in early life – even in the womb – and disease and dysfunction in children.
Dr. Landrigan said one of the driving forces behind this study is that researchers have come to realize that humans are most vulnerable to these chemicals in the womb, and at very young ages – especially those that affect hormones. He explained that hormones exist in a very delicate balance in the human body, and that tiny amounts have big effects: they help the cells of the body communicate with one another.
Philip Landgrigan: The ways cells communicate with each other in the human body is that certain cells release chemicals in the bloodstream that carry messages to other cells; to grow, or to multiply, or to divide, or to shut down. And it takes only tiny, tiny amounts of these signaling chemicals in the blood stream – hormones – to send these signals.
Heinz Award winner Fred vom Saal studies BPA, says it’s in over 90% of Americans
common chemicals that might be found in everyday objects – might be causing problems
Another is a chemical called BPA, found in a lot of plastic water bottles. It’s found in the lining of most all tin cans on the American market, and it gets into food or water from those products, and then into people.
Regards
Jonas
medcall.com.au
Interesting. I was listening to NPR the other night and heard them discussing the amount of hormones released into water systems and how that’s messing with the ecosystem. Wish we could foresee the future and predict how this is all going to turn out…
There is an increased risk of recurring gestational diabetes in pregnant women who developed gestational diabetes during their first and second pregnancies, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Actually many harmful chemical are exist in the American society which have hidden. BPA one is the chemical name, found in a lot of plastic water bottles and this bottles found in American market. Chemical also disturb carry messages one cells to other cells in the human body.
BPA is just the tip of the iceberg. Processed foods and packaging in the U.S. are full of carcinogens, pesticides, growth hormones (which encourage the growth of many hormone responsive cancers), antibiotics and preservatives which suppress the immune system, and chemicals which alter cellular function. Improvements in health care can’t offset the growing deleterious effect our processed food (and drink) have on our bodies. The FDA really needs to set higher standards for food processing and packaging.
I could write a whole book about protecting the body’s inner environment and metabolism from outer environmental pollutants included in our air, water and food, and medicine ( called side-affects). My rare endrocrine system, survival with a tranplant 27 years ago (or I would have died) created a personal quest for preventive health choices and life style.
The sheer numbers of people exposed would have shown something by now .
I’m aware and cautious but not alarmed.
In the 600 years live span of these plastics recipeints will have plently of time to acknowledge the desatrous effects they have upon us and the planet as a whole.
Very interesting. Thanks for info…
Nice post. Thanks! :)
Hello. This article is a discussion of moments, but the desire to talk about it welcome. Good luck.
Ciggarettes contain something like 40 different cancer causing chemical toxins.
Interesting. I was listening to NPR the other night and heard them discussing the amount of hormones released into water systems and how that’s messing with the ecosystem. Wish we could foresee the future and predict how this is all going to turn out…
I have found it impossible to find any information on what you do about what you already have in your body.
BPA’s are an in the news example.
How do people find their levels ?
And once they have found them is there any practical way to reduce the levels?
Thanks
Alex
I heard about companies, who develop a chemical free plastic. Are they really safe?
Every bottle has it own number, from 1 to 7, written at the bottom, which indicates the types of plastic used. Like you said, the durability of the plastic indeed varies a lot. From my understanding, BPA is indicated as No. 7.
This tells what those printed number means on the bottom: http://bachodi.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/what-do-the-numbers-below-plastic-bottles-indicate/
I know that – plastic containers with the No. 7 recycling label (usually printed on the bottom with a triangle sign) – are made with BPA. So, to prevent the exposure, maybe we might wanna avoid using it…
Sweet little rhyme Landrigan suggested to help you remember about plastics:
5, 4, 1, 2
all the rest are bad for you!
b
That’s very helpful. Thx ; ]
BPA would affect human health, such as human obesity, neurological issues, thyroid function and breast cancer. It was also found that 2.5 µg/kg/day would lead to breast cancer and 50 µg/kg/day would disrupt ovarian development.
Useful post! It seems that BPA is associated with many human illnesses.
it’s getting more people concern that chemical around us.
it should be made the rule of harmful chemicals.
I can’t agree more! Not only should the government, or FDA, set up stricter regulations on that, but they should frequently examine the household items on the market.
We should be more concerned about our health and rather chose beverages in glass bottles!
I think that the government seriously should consider the introduction of a tax on glass bottles.
I must correct: There should be a tax on plastic bottles and NOT on glass bottles.
I think this was a great study…this will be an eye opener for companies that makes plastic containers. Wish the Gov’t does something about it.
Sam
http://kinectprices.com
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The sheer numbers of people exposed would have shown something by now .
I’m aware and cautious but not alarmed.
I heard about companies, who develop a chemical free plastic. Are they really safe?
This webpage has so a lot excellent information on it, I check on it everyday.
Does anyone know if DMSA Synergy http://dmsasynergy.com works on remove these hormone scrambling toxis?
Great article, thanks!
Everyday chemicals are consumed in a large dose. Be careful what you eat and especially drink!
when at last, we will recognize that we are all interconnected and its not the government not the companies but the goodbeing of the whole world is SOLELY ON US! we need to unite, above our egoism!
Very important talk! Thanks!
Thanks ! United We Stand !
Very helpful and with good info post. Thanks. Hope to read more!
i always thought this sorta thing would happen maybe the food produce companies has gotten over their heads i hope more people address this issue
I know that – plastic containers with the No. 7 recycling label (usually printed on the bottom with a triangle sign) – are made with BPA. So, to prevent the exposure, maybe we might wanna avoid using it…
There should be a tax on plastic bottles and NOT on glass bottles.
interesting to see that while in the womb you are the most vulnerable
Very helpful info thanks. Trying to wade through all your archives at the moment – plenty of interesting stuff.
Thanks,
Cilla
That’s a brilliant health tip, I think I’m loving the site.. I have found so many interesting topics here that I haven’t seen in any other site. Good job. Anyway those plastic bottles were also carcinogenic- which means it can lead to cancer.
Perhaps the manufacturers and other companies should also be aware of their products and how it can produce significant impacts on the body. The good thing here is, we have scientists who takes time to study about these certain effects and share it o the public.
In Kenya before the new interventions, malaria cost the country 170 million working days a year
Nice post. Interesting, informative. Keep going. It would be greate to read more on this topic!