A study suggests that a toxin found in food, drinks and other everyday items stays longer in the bodies of children with autism and ADHD.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound called a “gender-specific” chemical because of its connection to hormonal and sexual problems.
Now researchers at Rowan University and Rutgers University in New Jersey have found that children with autism and ADHD cannot eliminate BPA from their bodies as quickly as neurotypical children. BPA has previously been linked to both conditions, although this is the first time it has been found that children with ADHD and autism have a harder time excreting the chemical.
Researchers also believe increased BPA exposure could increase the risk of developing these diseases, but admit it’s not clear how this works.
But the new compound is bound to reignite calls to reduce the amount of BPA allowed in products in America, which has some of the laxest rules in the Western world.
BPA is found in plastic containers and water bottles, inside food cans, and even sunglasses
BPA is an “endocrine disruptor,” meaning it can mimic the body’s hormones and interfere with the production and response of natural hormones such as estrogen. It has also been linked to low sperm counts and infertility in men, as well as breast and prostate cancer
Earlier this year, European officials dramatically lowered the maximum level of BPA by 20,000 times after finding that millions of people were likely consuming too much of the dangerous chemical. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows much higher values.
The US also has some of the highest rates of autism and ADHD in the world, with autism rates in particular increasing by 52 percent since 2017.
The study was published in the journal last month Plus one, measured detoxification efficiency — how quickly the body eliminates chemicals like BPA — in 66 children with autism, 46 with ADHD and 37 neurotypical children. The participants were between three and 16 years old.
To determine how much BPA they removed, the researchers collected urine samples from each child between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., which were then frozen. The team also measured the children’s diet and vitamin intake.
They found that children with autism are 10 percent less able to eliminate BPA from their bodies, while children with ADHD are 17 percent less able to eliminate the chemical.
Dr. T. Peter Stein, a professor at the Roman-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine and lead author of the study, said this impaired ability to remove BPA and other pollutants from the body is “the first clear biochemical evidence of the connection between BPA and the Development of autism or ADHD.’
“We were surprised to find that ADHD exhibits the same defect in BPA detoxification.”
BPA is an “endocrine disruptor,” meaning it can mimic the body’s hormones and interfere with the production and response of natural hormones such as estrogen. It has also been linked to low sperm counts and infertility in men, as well as breast and prostate cancer.
It can be found in plastic containers and water bottles, on the inside of food cans, and even in sunglasses.
The number of prescriptions for Adderall skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, just before the virus erupted across America, the drug accounted for 1.1% of medications. By September 2022, this figure has more than doubled to 2.31% of all scripts written
The graphic above from the new Rutgers study shows estimates of autism prevalence per 1,000 eight-year-old children in New Jersey overall and by intellectual ability. The proportion of eight-year-olds diagnosed with autism who do not have an intellectual disability increased more (represented by the blue line) than the proportion of those who did not (represented by the green line).
Previous research has found links between children with autism and exposure to BPA, although this new study is the first to find that children with the condition are less able to excrete the chemical.
Approximately one in 36 children in the United States suffers from autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disability.
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, as well as restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests.
The rate is higher for boys (four in 100) than for girls (1 in 100).
There is no clear cause of autism, and research suggests that the disorder arises from a combination of genetic and environmental influences that affect early brain development.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder that is typically diagnosed in childhood. However, in recent years there has been an increase in diagnoses in adults.
Neuroscientists have not identified a cause of ADHD, although genetics are believed to play an important role.
The main symptoms of ADHD, which typically manifest before the age of 12, include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. People with ADHD may, among other things, be constantly fidgety, unable to concentrate on a specific task, talk excessively, interrupt others, and be easily distracted.
Stimulants are the most commonly used medications for ADHD because they increase levels of dopamine, a neurochemical key to focus and sustained focus.
Drugs work by slowing the reabsorption of dopamine into the neuron that originally produced it.
By slowing the reuptake of dopamine, the neurotransmitter has more time to travel from neuron to neuron, relaying information and ultimately binding to a receptor, transmitting and receiving messages in the brain more effectively.
This improves communication in parts of the brain that produce dopamine and norepinephrine, a chemical that helps a person stay awake, pay attention, and think clearly.
The rate of women in their 20s filling prescriptions for ADHD medications like Adderall rose nearly 20 percent from 2020 to 2021, while the rate for adult men ages 30 to 39 rose nearly 15 percent.
Parents across the U.S. say the pandemic boom in new prescriptions has contributed to an ongoing nationwide shortage of Adderall, which has left children unable to concentrate and behave in school.
The team said further research is needed to find out whether BPA exposure leads to an increased risk of developing autism or ADHD.