[mgberlin]

I've personally become concerned recently with the abundance of BPA and it's effect on the endocrine system of men. Between disposable water bottles, aluminum can liners, and food stored in plastic containers, there's a huge amount of exposure to this endocrine disruptor. The article doesn't mention it in particular, but I think it's worth being cautious over.

[microcolonel]

For what it's worth, the limited research on that shows a tenuous relationship, and the reduction in sperm count is not apparently occurring in the same way in non-western countries which are exposed to as much (if not more) Bisphenol A.

In addition, the analysis appears to deal with the mid 1970s onward, whereas Bisphenol A has been used commercially to cure resins and plastics since 1957, with a quick uptake in usage. We would have to look at the trend further back to have a lede on that, because the recent clinical data are not sufficient to support the claim that normal Bisphenol A exposure (and this is assuming it increased dramatically over this period) can be linked directly with a fifty to sixty per cent reduction in sperm count and/or quality.

There are studies linking overweight and obesity to reduced sperm count, and overweight/obesity rates have increased dramatically and steadily over the measured period of time. Unfortunately, this meta analysis did not appear to address these factors.

All of that said, Bisphenol A is very risky stuff, we should be very careful with the amount of it in the environment and our bodies.

[rubicon33]

What do you mean when you say that non-western countries are "exposed" to BPA as much, or more, than the US?

There is a large difference between merely touching a product that has BPA in it and consuming BPA. Plasticizers in general are fat soluble and dissolve from a container into food quickly when heated. Which is why you shouldn't reheat anything, especially fatty foods, in plastic containers.

In the West we re-heat everything in plastic containers. I didn't think this was as big of a thing in non-western countries.

[microcolonel]

> In the West we re-heat everything in plastic containers. I didn't think this was as big of a thing in non-western countries.

I live in the West and I do not have a recent memory of anyone reheating anything in a plastic container or treated can. I think I saw somebody heat up one of those Kraft Dinner individual portion cups once. How many plastic containers are even considered microwave safe?. I know there are things like TV dinners.

I would think the more likely vector would be drink cans, and maybe laminated food cans after that. I see receipt paper mentioned a lot, but it's hard to tell if they mention that just for show, or because it's actually an important form of exposure. And as you mentioned, plasticizers are fat soluble; most canned beverages (aside coconut water) are not fatty, and most canned food isn't fatty either (because they don't want the fats to go rancid from the oxygen in the headspace), so I'm not sure how much leeching actually goes on with those vectors.

[magic_beans]

Ever ordered food in a deli or gone to a restaurant in the U.S.? They're re-heating your food in plastic containers, guaranteed.

Also: many people use "microwaveable" plastic containers/Tupperware in lieu of ceramic or glass, as it's cheaper and easier to store.

[cameldrv]

If you're specifically worried about BPA, perhaps a larger exposure is handling cash register receipts. Don't take em if you don't need em, and wash your hands before you eat anything if you do need to handle them.

[manmal]

That might explain why I've watched almost all newcomer cashiers in our local supermarket gain weight quickly after starting their job. Of course, the stress might also be to blame.

[sumedh]

> perhaps a larger exposure is handling cash register receipts. Don't take em if you don't need em

That sounds a but vague. Can you please post some links where I can read about this?

[chris1993]

BPA is apparently easily absorbed through the skin. For example: http://blogs.edf.org/health/2014/10/23/more-than-skin-deep-h...

[jxramos]

whoa, I never thought about chemical contact from receipts. Would love to see things go the way of Square where my itemized receipt is just emailed to me.

[corpMaverick]

TIL about BPA. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-he...

[secstate]

My favorite part about the BPA fiasco is how it is mitigated on an industrial level by introducing BPS. BPS is totally safe for food-grade products because it's more stable at high temperatures. Also, it hasn't been shown to be actively deleterious to our health. And as in law, food-grade plastics are innocent until proven guilty. So done with industrial food ...

[jostmey]

I don't think it is juts about BPA, but a whole myriad of "chemicals" that we're surrounding ourselves with each day.

[accountyaccount]

There are even chemicals in our brains!

[jostmey]

I put the word "chemicals" in quotation marks because, of course, everything is a chemical. I just wanted to point out that we shouldn't pick just one chemical (e.g. BPA) and heap all the blame onto it. As a society, we have to be concerned about the potential dangers of every synthetic chemical

[brownbat]

> potential dangers of every synthetic chemical

I wouldn't put too much importance on the synthetic / natural distinction.

Lead, tobacco, and various radioactive elements (uranium, radium, thorium, and radon) are all perfectly natural. If you were harmed by chemicals in the last century, it was probably one of them.

There are also thousands of lab-made chemicals that never make the news because they're just not harmful.

The UK-based non-profit Sense About Science has produced some literature trying to combat what they call "chemophobia," the fear of man-made chemicals:

http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/05/19/natural-vs-man-made-c...

Scientific American has tried to debunk myths about synthetic chemicals as well:

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/natural-vs-s...

I mean, yeah, don't drink DDT. But don't try to make your drinking water "more natural" either, thank your city for treating it with a little bit of synthetic (and toxic in large doses) chlorine, and enjoy a day free of all-natural additives like cholera.

[sliverstorm]

"natural" is in some ways a proxy for "understood". We know lead, tobacco, and radiation are toxic. We have hundreds of years of evidence. On the other hand brand-new man-made chemical X that was just invented yesterday has no track record whatsoever. We just don't know.

I try to read food labels, and it's exhausting trying to keep up with all the new chemicals they put in food (or in furniture, or plastics, or whatever) so rough heuristics become useful and help avoid spending six hours at the grocery store.

[brownbat]

I'm not opposed to proxies, I just think "anti-synthetic" is a particularly bad one. Synthetics are so frequently protective that avoiding them is more likely to do harm than good.

A better heuristic might be:

Humans worry too much.

Or:

Don't invent heuristics that scientists working in the relevant field think are unnecessary.

Toxicology is full of smart people learning things on our behalf. They have models and simulations and labs to scrutinize new chemicals for us, or even just to avoid massive class action lawsuits.

Among their findings is the fact that we can't seem to make anything nearly as toxic as nature can. Even when we try we come up short by a factor of like a freaking million:

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/natural-vs-s...

If you want simple guidelines to save time with groceries: avoid lunchmeats to reduce your risk of (natural) listeria, cook your chicken to avoid (natural) salmonella, don't can your own food to avoid (natural) botulism, and call it a day.

Or maybe don't worry about toxins at all, because they kill statistically almost no one, and instead: work out, eat some leafy greens, avoid obesity, smoking, drinking, guns, and unnecessary car trips.

At that point you're so far in the lead that if you die from a random chemical, just shake your fist at the gods and die knowing you did far more than most people. If you do die from a chemical, you didn't die from not being smart, you died from not being lucky, and could have easily been crushed by a meteor.

[kirrent]

I think your use of it is pretty clear, but it's interesting to note that quotation marks are also used for scare quotes. Two possible usages in this case with almost entirely opposite meanings.

[AstralStorm]

If it is some sort of chemical, it was introduced around 70s (later than most plastics) and is still in widespread and increasing use. Few such targets.

[mrob]

BPA in plastics is polymerized, but BPA in thermal paper is free molecules, which are easier absorbed. Thermal paper didn't become widespread until the 70s, so BPA is still a possible candidate.

[bencollier49]

Or the chemical had to reach a threshold concentration in the environment and/or our bodies before having a noticeable effect, which could have taken 20 years..

[accountyaccount]

I realize, you know, just being a jerk on the internet.

[mjmj]

Completely agree and to that end I try my best to avoid eating, drinking or storing consumables in any plastics (I just don't trust them), which is really hard. Especially avoiding heating or reheating anything in plastic.

[rubicon33]

There was an excellent video/documentary that I watched a while back, in which a woman spent a month COMPLETELY avoiding plastics.

Sadly, the BPA levels in her blood did not drop significantly. It seems that even if YOU don't come into contact with these chemicals, chances are your food already has.

It informed me that if I really wanted to avoid plasticizers, I could never eat out, and would likely need to purchase my food from organic farmer's markets. A tough bill to swallow.

[manmal]

And the alternative is.. taking estrogen blockers?

[AstralStorm]

Especially dosing boys with them. /s

You have no idea what kind of harm this could do, BPA being the least of the worries in that case.

[manmal]

Bodybuilders often take estrogen blockers (eg Indol-3-Carbinol), they don't seem to share your concerns.

[eternauta3k]

Got any links to research?

[mgberlin]

The wikipedia article is extensive and well cited: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A