BPA appeared in sweat, including when blood tests missed it
A small study detected BPA in sweat from 16 of 20 adults. It did not track whether repeated sweating lowered the amount in their bodies.
Worth knowing: Part of the same 20-person Blood, Urine and Sweat (BUS) series as the phthalate, PCB/PFAS and flame-retardant articles.
The short version
Twenty adults supplied blood, urine and sweat for testing. BPA, a chemical used in some plastics, appeared in sweat from 16 participants, including some whose blood or urine tests did not detect it. This suggests that sweat can carry BPA. It does not show how much was removed over a day or whether repeated sauna reduced stored BPA. The samples were collected at different times, with three ways of inducing sweat.
Keep in mind
Concentrations in different fluids are not a before-and-after measure of total BPA in the body.
What they found
BPA was detected in 16 of 20 sweat samples. Four people had detectable BPA in sweat but not urine.
What this means for your practice
An interesting excretion finding, not an established BPA-removal routine.
Methods and limitations
What the researchers did
Ten people used infrared sauna, seven steam sauna and three exercise. Participants collected their own sweat.
How much can this tell us?
Fluid volume, timing and collection method matter. Detection alone cannot establish the amount removed or improved health.
What makes it useful
- Three fluids from the same people
What limits it
- Small convenience sample
- Mixed sweating methods
- No repeated body-burden measurement
Where this study fits
Where this study fits
We score claims, not single studies. This one is part of the evidence for:
Sweat can carry some plastic-related chemicals and flame retardants. Early signal
Very low certaintySize not reportedBody signals
From the same participant group as 3 other articles in The Study, so we count them as one group of people.
Read the original
Genuis SJ et al. Human Excretion of Bisphenol A: Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) Study. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012.
DOI 10.1155/2012/185731 · PubMed 22253637