Scientists have been studying BPA-free products extensively in animal models for decades. The results show that the chemical bisphenol A plays a role in early pregnancy and various negative health outcomes after birth. As awareness of these adverse health effects has increased, companies have turned to using alternative chemicals to develop plastic products. It's all abouteco-friendly water bottles and food packaging, which are often labeled as BPA-free products. However, scientist Cheryl Rosenfeld warns that these chemical alternatives such as bisphenol S (BPS) are still not safe for humans.
Is BPA free plastic also dangerous?
In the study, Rosenfeld and her colleagues focused on the effects of BPS on the placenta of a mouse. The researcher says the placenta serves as a historical record of what an unborn child sees in the womb. The placenta can also transfer anything contained in the mother's blood, such as harmful chemicals, to the developing child.
“Synthetic chemicals like BPS can cross the mother’s placenta. “So anything that circulates in the mother’s blood can easily be passed on to the developing child,” says Rosenfeld. She is also a professor of biomedical sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine. “This mouse animal model is the best we now have to simulate the possible effects of BPD during pregnancy in humans, as the placenta has a similar structure in both mice and humans.”
Rosenfeld adds that the placenta is considered primary in both mice and humansSource of serotoninfor the development of the fetal brain. Serotonin is often associated with feelings of happiness. But this is also a natural chemical. It can affect many functions of a person. This also includes emotions and physical activities such as sleeping, eating and digesting food.
Research results
Rosenfeld's research is an example of an early step in translational medicine. So this is research aimed at improving human health. This is done by determining the relevance of animal science discoveries to humans. This research can form the basis for precision medicine or personalized healthcare for humans.
Precision medicine will be a key component of the NextGen Precision Health Initiative. This helps accelerate medical breakthroughs for patients. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the funding agencies. TheStudywas published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
