How BPA Causes Damage Before Birth, and What to Do About It

When an expectant mother eats foods contaminated with BPA, her unborn child also receives the chemical. Unlike the mother, however, the child is relying on the mother's metabolism to "detoxify" his or her nutrients. Because the fetal liver is not yet actively processing toxins, the fetus accumulates BPA at a rate 7 to 8 times faster than an adult.

Dr Almundena Veiga-Lopez of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and her colleagues measured BPA exposure in 24 women who had uncomplicated pregnancies. The scientists took blood samples from the mothers in their first trimester, and measured BPA levels. They then took samples of umbilical cord blood after the mothers gave birth. The blood in the umbilical cord is from the baby, and indicates the state of health of the child independent of his or her mother.

The particular kind of oxidative stress the scientists measured is associated with problems in using fats. The babies had higher levels of a palmitic acid, indicating greater inflammation and metabolic stress. In other studies (this study is too small to power long-term observations), this kind of inflammation is associated with obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes.

The makers of plastics, of course, can present teams of scientists to justify a different interpretation of the facts. However, there is no doubt that as more and more people consume foods and beverages from plastic containers, more and more people have become obese. The process may not be as simple as "plastics made me fat," but there is a growing body of evidence that exposure to BPA before birth and throughout life increases risk of obesity and diabetes.

What can you do?

• Don't eat food that has been stored in plastic containers, unless they have been certified to be BPA-free.
• Don't eat food from cans that are not stored in cans, unless they have been certified to be BPA-free.
• If you can't afford fresh produce, meat, and fish, at least avoid storing plastic containers and cans in hot environments. Don't leave a case of Coke in the trunk of your in car in summer, and don't use water bottles you keep in your car during the summer unless they are BPA-free.
• If you choose microwaveable foods, take food out of its plastic container before microwaving it. Heating in the microwave releases BPA into food.
• Be especially careful to avoid acidic foods that have been stored in plastic containers. Most soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which may increase the leaching of BPA into the drink.

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Fruits and vegetables are not necessarily "detoxifying," but fresh fruit and vegetables that have not been stored in liquids in direct contact with plastic don't add to your burden of BPA. (Carrying produce home in a plastic bag is OK, just don't let it get mushy or hot in a plastic bag.) If you can't eliminate all canned foods from your diet, at least be careful with canned citrus juices and canned tomatoes, avoiding them if you can, and making sure they are never stored in hot places if you can't.