New findings from a joint study out of the United States and Britain have found a link between bisphenol-A and heart disease. By examining records from a previous U.S. government national nutrition study, researchers were able to connect high levels of BPA in urine with an increase incidence for heart disease. The data supports previous findings and increases the pressure on the government to curtail or ban its already widespread use.

The study in question also found supporting evidence that BPA has a role in the onset of diabetes as well as liver disease, thus confirming that previous conclusions were not simply a statistical artifact.

The report comes shortly after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did an about-face regarding BPA that called into question its safety to the general public. This was in direct contrast to its previous stand. In changing its position, the United States joined with numerous other countries in calling into question BPA’s safety.

BPA is found extensively in plastics that are used in food packaging and hard plastic water bottles (including those used for infants), where it can leech into food and beverages. In one study out of Harvard, consuming water from BPA containing bottles was found to increase levels of BPA in urine by as much as 70%.

There has been concern over the use of BPA since as early as the 1930s, but recent worries have been mounting as new evidence points to its possible negative health effects, complicated by the fact that BPA is in such widespread use and so prevalent in our environment. In fact, it is one of the world’s highest production volume chemicals and is believed to be detectable in over 90% of the U.S. population.

From a health standpoint, BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it can imitate hormones in our bodies. As a consequence, BPA has been implicated as a potential contributor to a host of health problems, including reproductive defects, disruption of proper development, cardiovascular disease, brain damage, obesity, and diabetes.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), BPA is a valid concern due to its potentially harmful effects on unborn children and infants, as well as the development of the prostate and brain. While the authorities in this country are calling for further investigation into the matter, certain countries have called for an outright ban on the chemical, especially where babies and young children are concerned.

Canada plans to prohibit the use of BPA in plastic baby bottles, and several baby bottle manufacturers in this country have agreed to remove it form their products. For a listing of baby bottle manufacturers that no longer use BPA, click on this link for the Environmental Working Group.

If you have questions or concerns, check out the websites for NIH and Bisphenol-A Free.