Autism and Plastic

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Soo this week’s topic is a little bit unusual, but no, I assure you I haven’t lost my marbles (this time). In this post, I’m going to be looking at a weird link between autism and plastic!

A recent study has reported that autists eliminate chemical additives found in plastics from the body less efficiently than their neurotypical peers.

So what exactly are these chemical additives?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical additive used to make rigid plastics and protective coatings so it is often used in drinking containers. As a result, the chemical can leech into our drinks, which may be cause for concern as the health implications are still unclear.

BPA can mimic the effects of the hormone oestrogen which may disrupt the normal activity of the hormone, potentially contributing to cancers. The interactions are however very weak, so it is unlikely to have any lasting effects, especially as researchers have estimated that our current exposure levels to BPA are below the level associated with risk. Regardless, many remain concerned and efforts are being made to reduce our use of BPA in plastics. You may have seen many plastics for infants are marked as BPA-free as some countries have banned the use of BPA in this population as an extra precaution.

Similarly, other additives known as ‘plasticizers’ are added to plastics to make them more flexible. The additive Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) is the most commonly used plasticizer, widely used in the production of PVC. It can leach into food and drink like BPA which is concerning as it is a known carcinogen (cancer causing chemical) and can have a negative impact on male reproductive health. However, the doses consumed by humans are again not thought to be high enough to pose a risk, but the EU has banned their use in children’s toys, products and cosmetics as a precaution.

So now that we know what they are, back to autism.

As I mentioned at the start, children with autism and ADHD are not able to clear BPA and DEHP as efficiently as their neurotypical peers. Our bodies eliminate toxic substances via a process known as glucurondation, where complex compounds are broken down into smaller water soluble molecules using glucuronic acid so they can easily by eliminated from the body in urine. A recent study found that with BPA in particular, an autists efficiency to remove this chemical is 11% less than neurotypicals, and 17% less in individuals with ADHD. Researchers believe that some autists have genetic mutations that are slowing down the clearance rate making it harder to eliminate BPA from the system.

So what does this really mean?

Decreased efficiency in clearing BPA from the body means that this chemical hangs around longer, increasing exposure rates and the risk of negative health effects. As previous studies have linked BPA exposure to behavioral issues (e.g. hyperactivity, anxiety) and neurological conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s, MS, Parkinson’s), it’s possible that BPA exposure could contribute to the development of autism.

As always while there is evidence of a link, this is just one study so it’s not worth worrying about just yet. Nevertheless, we should all be conscious of our plastic use and more careful with our disposal processes to preserve both our health and our planet.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife