A notorious chemical is also linked to obesity and diabetes

So far, several studies have shown that bisphenol A, which is widely used in a variety of everyday products, from plastic bottles to cans, acts as a hormonal disruptor leading to serious health problems. Among other things, it has been linked to prostate and breast cancer, as well as metabolic problems.

But others have acquitted her, with the result that there is no clear decision on its safe use. Canada - which is the only country to have declared the chemical "toxic" -, the European Union and China have banned its use in baby bottles.

Action in infinitesimal doses

Researchers at the University of Miguel Ernest in Spain have found that even in infinitesimal amounts - a quarter of a billionth of a gram - BPA acts on the pancreas, triggering the secretion of twice the amount of insulin needed to digest it.

High insulin levels, over time, can cause the body to become resistant to the hormone, leading to obesity or type 2 diabetes.

"Eating something that contains BPA is like telling your vital organs that you are eating more than you actually eat," said Angel Nadal, a bisphenol A expert and study leader.

Imitation of estrogen

Bisphenol A appears to mimic estrogen and "trick" its receptors. To demonstrate this effect, the researchers removed two estrogen receptors from the mice's pancreas.

As they describe in their study, published in the review "Public Library of Science One" ("PLoS One"), after the removal of these receptors, insulin secretion returned to normal levels, which proves for the first time experimentally the chemical BPA mechanism of action. The researchers point out that in tests on human cells in the laboratory, the response was even stronger.

"This generally confirms the action," said Bruce Bloomberg of the University of California, Irvine, who did not participate in the study, speaking to the Huffington Post. The expert added that although BPA has been linked to metabolic problems, the connection was treated by some with disbelief because the understanding of its mechanism of action was incomplete.

Sources: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ, news.in.gr