Women Who Reduce BPA Exposure Lose More Weight: Study

Women now have another inventive way to drop the pounds, and it’s one that takes minimal effort. Studies now show that limiting your exposure to BPA products can help you experience significant weight loss.

The Journal of Women’s Health reported that women who participated in a 3-week study where they avoided foods, cosmetics and other products packaged in bisphenol A (BPA) reduced the amount of BPA in their urine and also lost a measurable amount of weight.

Another group of women who took part in the study but did not limit their BPA exposure experienced increases in urinary BPA levels and noticeable weight gain.

BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make plastics and resins since the 1960s. It’s also an endocrine disrupting chemical that can adversely affect the brain, behavior and prostate glands of fetuses, infants and children. Some research also suggests there is a strong link between BPA and high blood pressure.

Todd Hagobian, PhD and the co-authors from California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo, CA) are now interested in taking the findings of this study further. The team is proposing large scale randomized testing to determine the effects that limited exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can have on health disorders like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

“This study shows that by switching to BPA-free products it is, in fact, possible for women who have been exposed to BPA to reduce their body burden of the compound, as measured by urinary BPA levels,” says Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Women’s Health, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, Richmond, VA, and President of the Academy of Women’s Health.

Ways to Reduce BPA Exposure

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that low levels of BPA in some foods are safe. This information is based on a review of hundreds of studies. But if you are still seeking additional ways to have less BPA in your life, check out these 4 Ways to Reduce BPA Exposure

• Only use products labeled as BPA-free. If products are not labeled, be aware that some plastics marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.
• Use less canned goods, many are lined with BPA-containing resin.
• Avoid heat. Do not microwave polycarbonate plastics or put them in the dishwasher, because it causes BPA to leach into foods when the plastic breakdown occurs over time.
• Replace plastic containers with glass and stainless steel ones to store hot foods and liquids.