Title:The Toxic Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) on Gut
Microbiota: Bisphenol A (BPA) A Review
Volume: 22
Issue: 7
Author(s): Ioannis Alexandros Charitos*, Skender Topi, Roberto Gagliano-Candela, Emanuele De Nitto, Lorenzo Polimeno, Monica Montagnani and Luigi Santacroce
Affiliation:
- National Poison Center, OO. RR. University Hospital of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Center
for Pre-Latin, Latin and Oriental Rights and Culture Studies (CEDICLO), University of Bari, Bari, Italy
- Department
of Clinical Disciplines, University of Elbasan,
Keywords:
Bisphenol A, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, toxicology, toxic substances, gut microbiota, probiotics.
Abstract:
Background: Bisphenol A (BPA), an important industrial material widely applied in daily
products, is considered an endocrine-disrupting chemical that may adversely affect humans. Growing
evidence has shown that intestinal bacterial alterations caused by BPA exposure play an important
role in several local and systemic diseases.
Aims: Finding evidence that BPA-induced alterations in gut microbiota composition and activity
may perturb its role on human health.
Results: Evidence from several experimental settings shows that both low and high doses of BPA interfere
with the hormonal, homeostatic, and reproductive systems in animals and humans. Moreover,
it has recently been classified as an environmental obesogenic, with metabolic-disrupting effects on
lipid metabolism and pancreatic b-cell functions. Several evidence characterizes PBA as an environmental
contributor to type II diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and obesity. However, the highest
estimates of the exposure derived from foods alone or in combination with other sources are 3 to 5
times below the new tolerable daily intake (TDI) value, today reduced by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) experts from 50 micrograms per kilogramme of bodyweight per day (μg/kg
bw/day) to 4 μg/kg bw/day.
Conclusion: Considering estimates for the total amount of BPA that can be ingested daily over a
lifetime, many International Health Authorities conclude that dietary exposure of adult humans to
BPA does not represent a risk to consumers' health, declaring its safety due to very-low established
levels in food and water and any appreciable health risk.