Do you use plastic containers? Why the risk of diabetes may increase

The results of a new study on healthy volunteers. What it showed about exposure to bisphenol A (BPA).

If you use plastic containers in your diet every day, think again. A new study suggests that even healthy people exposed to a chemical used in manufacturing for a few days can increase their risk of developing diabetes.

Scientists have known for years that certain chemicals used in the plastics industry can disrupt our hormones. However, the data available so far have mainly come from observational studies.

New research provides direct evidence bisphenol A (or BPA) can reduce the sensitivity of the body insulin.

BPA is used in the manufacture of a variety of consumer products, from plastic food storage containers to jugs and bowls. It used to be in baby bottles. However, in 2011-2012, this use was banned in Europe and the United States.

Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. A decrease in the body’s ability to react to it (ie insulin resistance) significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The results of a new study have been presented American Diabetes Association Annual Conference (ADA 2024). Its summary Published in the medical journal Diabetes.

Research

As the researchers wrote, 40 healthy volunteers were included in their composition. Half of them took an inactive substance every day, and the rest took a small dose of BPA.

This dose corresponds to the dose that can be contained in plastic containers, as it has been determined to be safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is equal to 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.

After four days, body weight and blood sugar levels did not change significantly in the volunteers of the two groups. However People who received BPA submitted significantly reduces insulin sensitivity.

«We were surprised to find that limiting BPA exposure can directly reduce diabetes risk“, he said supervising researcher Dr. Todd Hagobian Professor and Director of the Department of Kinesiology and Public Health, California Polytechnic State University.

He added that the new findings show that “perhaps they should be reconsidered» safety limits of BPA in plastic containers.

Researchers are continuing their studies to see if low doses of the substance can lead to diabetes within weeks or months. They also want to investigate whether regular exercise can reverse or prevent the negative effects of BPA.

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