Inside - Do you know that plastics that you use on daily basis might be the reason for your thyroid disorder? In this article, you will understand how plastics can harm your thyroid and what should you do about it. - Functional Medicine Doctor OH
According to American Thyroid Association, approximately 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid problem. And almost 12% of the US population is likely to develop thyroid problems during their lifetime. This escalation in thyroid problems - not only in the US but globally - is partly attributed to the widespread use of plastics in our daily life.
In recent years, the use of plastic has exponentially grown a lot. Plastics are everywhere in our life. From the water we drink to the food we eat, it's hard to avoid them. But did you know that they can also affect your thyroid health?
The chemicals found in plastics have been linked with a variety of health problems including hormonal imbalances and weight gain. And because plastic is used so much in packaging, many people don't realize just how much they're exposed to these harmful substances on a daily basis.
Did you know - Even the metal products we use like food cans, bottle tops, or water lines are also extensively coated by epoxy resins which in turn contain BPA in it.
Recent research shows that this plastic is actually destroying the thyroid gland. But how is it happening? Why do Plastics harm your thyroid? - Simply read on to know about why plastic destroys the thyroid gland and how it does it.
BPA in Plastics
Plastic is a form of synthetic material. The word plastic comes from Greek, meaning something that can be shaped or molded into different forms. The most common examples of plastics are 1) Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET for short), 2) High-density polyethylene (HDPE), 3) Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE).
For decades this has been fairly under the radar and over the last decade or so there's been more awareness as to just how harmful plastics really are.
Plastics, without any doubt, have many chemicals in them. One of the main chemicals used in certain plastics is BPA or Bisphenol-A.
Researches prove that this BPA has the ability to seep into food items when in contact for a longer time. These BPA can cause health effects like reproductive disorders, weight gain, thyroid disorders, and other hormone imbalances.
Another important fact is that these harmful chemicals and toxins in plastic can also affect the brain function of a person. For example, BPA actually changes the way your neurotransmitters - such as serotonin - function in the brain.
And this is not all about BPA: there are literally thousands of chemical compounds used in plastics that you should know about.
BPA - the endocrine disruptor
Recent studies prove that this Bisphenol A or BPA in plastics is, in fact, an endocrine disruptor.
Endocrine disruptor means this BPA in plastic can affect the endocrine system of a person. The endocrine system is responsible for controlling things like mood, energy levels, digestion and weight management, sex drive, metabolism, and overall well-being.
The thyroid, one of the most important endocrine glands, is heavily affected by BPA. BPA found in plastics harms our thyroid by disrupting its normal functioning. It has been demonstrated that BPA destroys your thyroid glands in 2 ways.
BPA interferes with the thyroid hormone production
BPA is said to greatly interfere with the proper production of thyroid hormones in our body.
There was a research study done where they did a mass study checking the levels of BPA in people. They compared it with their thyroid levels.
What they found was that the higher the amount of BPA levels in people's body, the lower the amount of thyroid hormone. So basically BPA levels are destroying your thyroid hormone or not letting a thyroid gland produce thyroid hormones normally.
Eventually, our thyroid gland may not be able to function properly.
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