On the heels of a Bisphenol-A study in humans showing possible links to diabetes, heart disease and liver abnormalities, the FDA reaffirms that it thinks BPA in products is just fine.

The study was published in JAMA today (here’s a link to the whole study), the same day that the FDA met to further discuss whether or not BPA in food packaging and bottles is safe.

What this study did was look at some of the health problems that have already been linked with BPA in animal studies to see if the same health problems have any correlation with BPA levels in people. In animal studies, problems have turned up such as liver enzyme abnormalities and oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, pancreatic B-cell function (which can influence insulin and diabetes) and obesity. Then they looked for those types of links, as well as heart disease, in people.

What they found was that those folks who had the highest BPA levels were 2.4 times more likely to have diabetes. Those with high BPA levels were 3 times more likely to have heart disease. And, three types of elevated liver enzymes were seen when BPA was higher.

But they didn’t look at infants and children. From past study, we know that they are the ones most likely to have the highest levels of toxins in general and be at the highest risk for toxicity. They only looked at people 18-74 years old.

The actual BPA exposure levels were below what is considered safe, so the study points to low levels as potentially being a problem. We’ve seen that in animal studies as well. That is especially something that industry doesn’t want to hear. Industry likes to say there is not being enough of a toxin in products to cause a problem. But that’s not what we’ve been seeing in animal studies and that’s not what we are seeing in this study.

Just last month, the FDA stated that BPA in food packaging and bottles is safe. This study challenges that view. Actually, that view was also challenged by the National Toxicology Program which is another federal agency. They determined there was “some concern” that BPA could cause developmental problems in the brain and hormone systems of infants and children.

So, what to do?

Bisphenol A is found in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. For instance, some plastic bottles with the number 7. It’s also found in the lining of canned goods. These are things that we have a choice in when purchasing.

Luckily, manufacturers are producing more alternative products. So, rather than wait for more evidence on the subject, it is becoming easier to be a proactive shopper now. The precautionary principle in action. And also, industry response to public demand. That’s why Nalgene has phased out BPA in their water bottles.

Never put anything hot in plastic containers. Say no to #7. Use #2 plastics that are HDPE (high density poly ethylene). Another option is polypropylene which is #5.

Of course, there is always good old glass.

Sun dude nontoxic sunscreen

Summer is here and what do you have for non-toxic sunscreen?

When you are trying to figure out how to get adequate and safe sun protection, it’s nice to know who’s got you covered.

We are big advocates of trying to do the right thing without stressing about it too much. So in light of that, it’s just as easy to grab a sunscreen that is more likely to be safer than one that is not. We think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You want safe. but you also want good sun protection with a high enough SPF. Not too chalky or greasy. Maybe waterproof.

Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide reflect the harmful UV A as well as UV B rays. And you might hear about dangers with nano-scale and micronized zinc. These are unlikely to penetrate healthy skin and cause damage, but it is not so clear about what might happen if they are in spray or powder formulations that can reach the lung.

But, getting real, a lot of us wants something that’s easy to use. After looking into what people say, some of the safest products can be a little hard to use because of greasiness or chalkiness. Give them a try. Products that are a little less “pristine” can still be a good choice if that’s what it takes to use them.

California Baby, Soleo Organics, Blue Lizard and TruKid are just a couple brands out there.

There are more and more brands that fit the bill. What you want to do is stay away from worrisome ingredients like these as much as possible: avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate), oxybenzone (benzophenon-3), “fragrance” (which is likely to have petroleum derived chemicals and phthalates) and parabens.

Why are these chemicals worrisome? Because they appear to contribute to things like allergy, hormone disruption and release of free radicals in the skin.

Read those labels! Even within the same brand, some products will be better than others.

So get out there and enjoy the summer and the sun.

What do you think? Do you think Mr. sun dude is using non-toxic sunscreen?

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