The Toxic Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) on Gut Microbiota: Bisphenol A (BPA) A Review

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. Grow-ing evidence has shown that intestinal bacterial alterations caused by BPA exposure play an im-portant role in several local and systemic diseases. Aim: 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 in-terfere 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 envi-ronmental 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. Conclusions: 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.