Oct
01
2008

Concerns Over Bisphenol A Bottles

By | Cancer, Health, Nutrition

Early in 2008 polycarbonate bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA) have been deemed “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The compound was first identified by researchers that autoclaved (heat sterilized) their polycarbonate flasks. They were studying the growth of breast cancer cells and found that the chemical which was identified from the flasks promoted growth of breast cancer cells. No human research was involved, and the data come from tests in animal research. Nevertheless BPA is an “endocrine disruptor”, that mimics the action of estrogen, reports Dr.Rebecca Sherlock, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. The question that remained was the leaching of the substance into food. As an experiment, bottles with the content of BPA were subjected to conditions that simulate household use. They were run through regular household dishwashers, but they also were subjected to the use of industrial dishwashers that have higher temperatures. Also the bottles were subjected to scrubbing with steel wool. Dr. Sherlock reported that the final result is that there is leaching of the substance into foods. None of the studies showed that the quantity of BPA is higher than the acceptable daily intake limit set in the U.S.A. and in Europe.

Concerns Over Bisphenol A Bottles

Concerns Over Bisphenol A Bottles

There are animal results that there may be some health effects, especially in the brain, the prostate and other endocrine tissues. Due to these results the federal Health Minister has proposed a ban on manufacture, import, and sale of baby bottles. Newborn babies and infants may be more sensitive to the effects of the chemical. A lot of controversy has surrounded the polycarbonate bottles containing bisphenol A.
In August the FDA has declared them “safe’, but by September a report from the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences cited once again “some concern”. There are potential effects on the behavior, brain and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children at the current exposure level.

More information about toxins in the environment: https://www.askdrray.com/protecting-yourself-from-environmental-toxins/

85th Annual Conference of The Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) in Victoria/BC as reported by The Medical Post, Sept. 16, 2008, p. 14

Last edited November 6, 2014

Jul
01
2008

Genetic Difference Influences Sweet Tooth

By | Diabetes, Nutrition, Obesity, Weight loss

Environmental factors and ethnic customs can influence us to have certain likes and dislikes of foods, but researcher Ahmed El-Sohemy has found in his studies that there is also a biological and genetic basis for some of our food preferences. Researchers from the University of Toronto have discovered a genetic difference in people who consume extra sugar in their diet. The specific genetic constellation which the researchers have called GLUT2 does not only work in the pancreas, but it also is responsible for turning on satiety signals in the brain. It seems to have an impaired ability to notice high blood sugar levels that ultimately send “stop eating” signals to the brain. The habit to eat more sweets has been researched in persons with diabetes, but Dr. El-Sohemy does not believe that diabetes is directly connected with gene GLUT2. On the other hand he does not suggest that the presence of the gene should be an excuse to overindulge in sugar high foods. He states that food habits in humans are often connected to the availability of foods: if there is a birthday party and birthday cake, the people with a liking of sweets will be the first to get a slice of cake. On the other hand, if there are no sweets available, they will not make an extra trip to the store just for a piece of cake. The most logical approach is to minimize the availability of foods that are high in sugar, which is especially important for individuals who have GLUT2, the ”sweet tooth gene”, so they are not tempted to overindulge.

Genetic Difference Influences Sweet Tooth

Genetic Difference Influences Sweet Tooth

Much was learnt from two separate studies that involved 100 older adults on the one hand who were overweight or obese and 587 healthy younger adults who were mostly lean. Foods and beverages that were consumed were carefully recorded. In both investigations blood was drawn for DNA analysis and the presence or absence of the variation of the GLUT2 gene was compared to the food intake data. The older obese group with the variant gene consumed 112 grams of sugar per day versus 86 Grams per day for the non-variant gene group (normal control). The younger population carrying the variant gene consumed 131 Grams of sugar per day, while the non-variant control of young people consumed 115 Grams of sugar per day. This illustrates how genetic influences have an effect on our eating habits and also that younger people ought to be careful that they do not overuse sugar containing foods.

It also points to the solution of controlling your weight, if you belong to the higher risk group with the GLUT2 gene: you must exercise more to burn up the extra calories you tend to eat. A brisk walk on a treadmill will consume about 300 or 350 Cal in 30 minutes depending on the slope and the miles per hour setting.

Reference: Medical Post Vol 44, No. 16, June 16, 2008: page 19 (based on May issue of Physiological Genomics)

Last edited December 4, 2012