Exposure to the hormone-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) has been underestimated, because prior lab tests have looked at single exposures rather than daily diets, the University of Missouri reports.
The study, released online Monday, is billed as the first to examine BPA concentrations in any animal after exposure through a steady diet, which mirrors the chronic exposure that humans receive through food packaging. The chemical, linked to breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, male infertility and other health problems, is widely used in bottles and cups and in the linings of metal cans, including infant formula.
The UM scientists continuously exposed the mice to BPA through their feed and found a significantly greater increase in the active form of the chemical, which can bind to sex steroid receptors and exert adverse effects.
"When BPA is taken through the food, the active form may remain in the body for a longer period of time than when it is provided through a single treatment," the study's lead author Cheryl Rosenfeld, associate professor in biomedical sciences, said in a statement.
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