Study: BPA Disrupts Prostate Health

Bisphenol-A has seen its share of media attention, and none of it has been very positive. It’s a known endocrine disruptor still being used as a softening agent in plastics. You’re probably already aware that BPA disrupts reproductive health, which is contributing to hormonal imbalance in both women and men. BPA lines many aluminum cans and water bottles, and it has the tendency to leach into the contents of the container. A new study has exposed another startling health effect of BPA consumption–prostate cancer.

Why Men (and Everyone Else) Should Avoid BPA

According to a professor from the University of Illinois in Chicago, when scientists exposed an organoid similar to the prostate gland to very low doses of BPA, the organoid grew an overabundance of prostate stem cells. ^[1] While stem cells are present in the prostate gland, too many can raise the risk for prostate cancer. According to many theories, the more stem cells an organ has, the more likely a mutation can occur. Could BPA be one of the leading contributors to today’s cases?

BPA mimics female hormones, particularly estrogen, which means it poses a threat to men and women. Not only could it be a hidden contributing factor to prostate cancer, but research shows it may also be contributing to all forms of cancer. ^[2] Even avoiding BPA-free plastics is probably not the answer, because the alternatives to BPA appear to hold the same health risks. Bisphenol-S, for instance, is sometimes used in BPA-free plastics and BPA-free tin cans, but it isn’t the most reliable from a health standpoint. ^[3]

Ways to Avoid BPA

One of the best ways to avoid BPA is to stop using plastic containers and, instead, switch to glass or ceramic. Avoid drinking from plastic water bottles, reusable or not, and do not drink from plastic water bottles that have been sitting out in the hot sun. Heat speeds up the rate at which BPA is leached into the water. ^[4] Also, consider performing a cleanse periodically to support your overall health. Just making a simple switch for your health can go a long way, so consider using these tips the next time you are storing leftovers or beverages.

Are there any tips for avoiding BPA that we’ve missed? Please let us know in the comments!

References:

1. Esther L. Calderon-Gierszal, Gail S. Prins. Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Prostate Organoids In Vitro and its Pertubation by Low-Dose Bisphenol A Exposure. PLoS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133238.
2. Ana M. Soto & Carlos Sonnenschein. Environmental causes of cancer: endocrine disruptors as carcinogens. Nature Reviews Endocrinology 6, 363-370 (July 2010). doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2010.87.
3. Manjumol Mathew, S. Sreedhanya, P. Manoj, C. T. Aravindakumar, and Usha K. Aravind. Exploring the Interaction of Bisphenol-S with Serum Albumins: A Better or Worse Alternative for Bisphenol A. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2014, 118 (14), pp 3832-3843. DOI: 10.1021/jp500404u.
4. Chun Z. Yang, Stuart I. Yaniger, V. Craig Jordan, Daniel J. Klein, and George D. Bittner. Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can Be Solved. Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Jul 1; 119(7): 989-996. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1003220.

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