Manufacturers Replace BPA with Still Highly Toxic BPS

Manufacturers Replace BPA with Still Highly Toxic BPS







Sayer Ji
Activist Post

As we reported on back in June of last year in an exposé titled, Consumer Alert: BPA-Free Goods Still Contain Toxin Bisphenol,
the petrochemical bisphenol A (BPA), an ubiquitous ingredient in
thousands of consumer products and which has been linked to a wide range
of serious adverse health effects,
has been removed by many ostensibly scrupulous manufacturers in favor
of another equally toxic analog in the same chemical class, known as
bisphenol S (BPS). This has enabled manufacturers of products as varied
as thermal printer receipts to sippy cups to advertise their products
as "BPA-free," while still exposing consumers to potentially harmful,
and less regulated chemicals.

BPS is actually not only within the same range of toxicity of BPA, but
is slower to degrade, and therefore will be more likely to remain a
persistent toxin and environmental pollutant.[ii] It has already been found to be present in the urine of 81% of those tested from the United States and seven Asian countries.[iii]

Now, new concern is being raised by a study published this month in the journal [i]Environmental Health Perspectives
showing that BPS has estrogenic activity comparable to estradiol, the
most potent and, therefore, concerning human estrogen, and is even
capable of enhancing estradiol-mediated cell signaling activity. These
actions indicate it has great potential to disrupt normal endocrine
processes.

The study also found that BPS is capable of inducing
cell death (apoptosis), as well as interfere with cellular prolactin
(PRL) secretion. This latter effect has a broad range of indications, as
the prolactin hormone regulates hundreds of biological functions,
including metabolism, reproduction and lactation.[iv]

Taken together, the study authors concluded:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">BPS, once considered a safe substitute for
BPA, disrupts membrane-initiated E2-induced cell signaling, leading to
altered cell proliferation, cell death, and PRL release.</blockquote>
Global Chemical Sleight-of-Hand: BPS Replaces BPA


In many ways, the sleight-of-hand substitution of Bisphenol S for
Bisphenol A, is just business as normal. Pharmaceutical companies, for
instance, will often begin to phase out a drug when after years of
causing side effects and even deaths it begins to lose its viability as a
profit center because of accumulating lawsuits and adverse
post-marketing surveillance research, as well as the impending
expiration of its patent exclusivity. So, they simply alter the
synthetic drug an atom or two, and reapply for a "new and improved" drug
approval – even when, essentially, less is known about its toxicity;
until, that is, the end users (a living guinea pig) experience
convincing bodily evidence that it does more harm than good.

Sadly, chemicals like bisphenols receive far less regulatory oversight
than pharmaceuticals, despite the fact that exposure to
pharmacologically active chemicals in everyday consumer products can be
much more widespread.

The extent to which manufacturers have replaced BPA with BPS is unknown, but a 2012 study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology titled "Bisphenol S, a New Bisphenol Analogue, in Paper Products and Currency Bills and Its Association with Bisphenol A Residues," indicates the shift is global, and therefore likely internally coordinated by the chemical industry:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">As
the evidence of the toxic effects of bisphenol A (BPA) grows, its
application in commercial products is gradually being replaced with
other related compounds, such as bisphenol S (BPS). Nevertheless, very
little is known about the occurrence of BPS in the environment. In this
study, BPS was analyzed in 16 types of paper and paper products (n =
268), including thermal receipts, paper currencies, flyers, magazines,
newspapers, food contact papers, airplane luggage tags, printing paper,
kitchen rolls (i.e., paper towels), and toilet paper. All thermal
receipt paper samples (n = 111) contained BPS at concentrations ranging
from 0.0000138 to 22.0 mg/g (geometric mean: 0.181 mg/g). The overall
mean concentrations of BPS in thermal receipt papers were similar to the
concentrations reported earlier for BPA in the same set of samples. A
significant negative correlation existed between BPS and BPA
concentrations in thermal receipt paper samples. Because the research on
bisphenol A toxicity is far more extensive than bisphenol S, a number
of natural substances have already been found to degrade bisphenol A the
body. We may assume that other toxic bisphenols could be degraded,
blocks and/or detoxified from the body by similar mechanisms.</blockquote>Because
the research on bisphenol A toxicity is far more extensive than
bisphenol S, a number of natural substances have already been found to
degrade bisphenol A the body. We may assume that other toxic bisphenols
could be degraded, blocks and/or detoxified from the body by similar
mechanisms.

These beneficial substances include:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Probiotics: Bifodobacterium breve and
Lactobacillus casei, two commonly used strains in supplements, has been
found to reduce the intestinal absorption of bisphenol A by facilitating
its excretion.[v] Kimchi, a Korean fermented cabbage food, contains probiotics that have been found to degrade bisphenol A.[vi] [See also: Probiotics Destroy Toxic Chemicals in Our Gut For Us] </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Folic Acid:
This methyl donor vitamin is capable of silencing genes
(epigenetically) that when over-expressed can lead to diseases such as
cancer. Maternal nutrient supplementation with folic acid has been found
to counteract bisphenol A-induced DNA hypomethylation (low methylation)
in early development. [vii] Keep in mind that whenever possible use folate, the natural form of folic acid, as it has not been linked to adverse health effects. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Black Tea and Quercetin: Cell research has found that black tea extract and quercetin(found in high concentrations in onion) ameliorate bisphenol A-induced cell toxicity.[viii] </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Royal Jelly: Royal jelly is a bee product that has been found to inhibit the estrogenic and proliferative effects of bisphenol-A.[ix]</blockquote>While
this is a limited list, it provides a clue into how we might naturally
combat exposures to xenobiotic chemicals such as bisphenols through our
diet. Organically produced, minimally processed, and especially
traditionally cultured foods likely provide a broad range of protective
actions against chemical exposures, the benefits of which we may obtain
on a daily basis through our dietary choices. We don't have to wait
around for more clinical research to prove what commonsense already
knows: avoid chemical exposures and eat well, whenever possible.

Source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/manufacturers-replace-bpa-with-still.html