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plastic water bottleI came across some interesting research the other day concerning the potential role of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in regulating weight.

BPA is a chemical that is found in several plastics and plastic additives. It’s in the water bottles folks carry to gyms and in the baby bottles moms use to feed their infants. And it’s in almost all of our bodies. A CDC study in 2007 found that 92% of 2,500 subjects studies had detectable amounts of BPA in their urine.

A study published in 2002 by Masuno and colleagues demonstrated that relatively small amounts of BPA significantly reduced insulin sensitivity and accelerated the formation of adipocytes (fat cells). In other words, BPA made the mice fat.

Not only did BPA trigger the conversion of pre-adipocytes to adipocytes, it also stimulated the conversion process once triggering had occurred. This “double-whammy” effect caused a 1,300% increase in fat levels, compared with a 150% increase with insulin alone.

The worldwide obesity epidemic has been primarily explained in terms of poor diet, decreases in exercise, and other lifestyle factors. (I am planning a future series on weight loss, so stay tuned!) However, this research raises the possibility that hormone-disrupting contaminants such as BPA may play a role in regulating weight. BPA triggers and then stimulates two of the key biological mechanisms underlying obesity. It increases the number of fat cells, and it enhances their fat storage.

magnifying glass

Health authorities in the US make the claim that the levels of BPA found in most humans are not a risk to human health. However, researchers working in the field have a different view. Ample evidence suggests that BPA can harm lab animals at concentrations below those already occurring in most people.

A report (PDF) published in Reproductive Toxicology by 38 scientists evaluated the strength of data from more than 700 BPA studies.

The panel concluded that BPA exposure in the womb permanently alters the genes of animals, impairs the function of organs in ways that persist into adulthood, and triggers brain, behavioral, and reproductive effects, including diminished sperm production. Effects deemed likely included a heightened sensitivity to carcinogens, impaired immunity, and diminished insulin sensitivity.

Although the jury is still out on BPA’s ability to cause weight gain in humans, I think the consequences of obesity and the diseases it’s linked to far outweigh the “convenience” of drinking out of plastic water bottles. Of course there are several other reasons not to use plastic water bottles, including the waste they generate and their harmful effect on oceans and sea life.

So do yourself and the planet a favor: get a stainless steel water bottle, and abstain from drinking bottled water! I like the Klean Kanteen brand, but there are many others.

It has also been shown that polycarbonate baby bottles heated by microwave leach BPA into milk fed to infants. So Moms, please don’t heat those bottles in the microwave!

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The water myth?


New research has just been published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology that questions the long-held popular belief that drinking eight glasses of water a day benefits our health.

According to Dr. Stanley Goldfarb and Dr. Dan Negoianu of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, there are four prevalent myths about water intake:

  1. Leads to more toxin excretion
  2. Improves skin tone
  3. Makes one less hungry
  4. Reduces headache frequency

Dr. Goldfarb and Dr. Negoianu reviewed all of the published studies which examined the health benefits of water consumption. They concluded that people in hot, dry climates, athletes or people with certain diseases might do better with increased fluid intake, but for average healthy people, more water did not mean better health.

“There is no clear evidence of benefit from drinking increased amounts of water,” Dr. Goldfarb wrote, but he also added, “There is also no clear evidence of lack of benefit.” In other words, the scientific research doesn’t tell us one way or the other whether there’s a benefit or not.

Fortunately, nature has endowed us with a mechanism that can in fact help us determine how much water we need to be drinking per day. It’s called thirst. If we simply pay attention to our thirst and respond appropriately, it’s likely that we will take in as much water as we need. Four to six glasses per day is probably sufficient for most people; but then again, the evidence indicates there is no harm in drinking more, so if you enjoy drinking a lot of water then knock yourself out!

There is no evidence that increased water consumption helps to excrete toxins. The kidneys perform that function in the body, and as long as they are healthy they do it very well. Dr. Goldfarb: “The kidneys clear toxins. This is what the kidneys do. They do it very effectively. And they do it independently of how much water you take in. when you take in a lot of water, all you do is put out more urine but not more toxins in the urine.”

There is no evidence supporting the other three myths either; namely, that it improves skin tone, reduces hunger and alleviates headaches. But again, if your experience is different and you find that water does help with these conditions – then there is absolutely no reason not to continue what you’re doing now (other than perhaps more frequent trips to the bathroom!) Just don’t go crazy with the water intake, because extremely high levels of water consumption can affect the fluid balance in the body, causing “water intoxication” and even death.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t emphasize that the quality of the water we drink is much more important than the quantity. My recommendation is that you invest in a high-quality water filter and install it in your home. Avoid bottled water, which is often simply tap water packaged in a plastic bottle that can potentially leach toxins into the water – especially when left in the sun. (You know that “plasticky” smell when you drink water from a plastic bottle that has been around for a while? Not good. Not good at all.) Nalgene bottles should also be avoided as they can leach another unsafe chemical called BPA into your water. Instead, buy a stainless steel water bottle and fill it up with your filtered water at home before you go out.

Also, both tap water and filtered bottled water contain fluoride, a highly toxic bone poison that should be avoided at all costs. Many commercial water filters unfortunately do not remove fluoride, which is present in our water supply because of the gross misconception that it supports dental health. But more on that myth in another article.

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