About The Petrochemical Preservatives
Studies on these chemicals are disturbing. As early as 1974, a study by Stokes & Scudder reported that when pregnant mice were fed BHA and BHT, it affected the brain chemistry of their offspring, reducing their cholinesterase and serotonin to half the normal levels. They reported, "The affected mice weighed less, slept less and fought more than normal controls."
Since BHA, BHT, and TBHQ are included in so many products containing other additives as well, it would be prudent to study their interactions with each other. One of the few such studies found that BHA can "facilitate the activation of BHT in the lung" and increase its toxicity. Yet it is common to find both of them in the same meal.
Recently, a study on other additive interactions (Lau 2006) showed that a coloring plus an excitotoxin (MSG or aspartame) is far more toxic to developing neurons than either one alone. When two chemicals used together do more damage than each alone added up, it is called "synergy." In real life, we are eating all these chemicals together and for the most part we have no idea what they can do to us in such mixtures. See the dramatic graphic from this study, and remember that Dr. Lau stressed that she used an amount of additive that could easily be found in ordinary snacks.
These preservatives continue to enjoy GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status despite evidence that they are toxic to various cells and organs, they are tumor promoters, they weaken the immune system, they impact the nervous system and behavior, and they have a negative effect on sperm and/or egg production, reproduction and development.
Sasasaki (2002) says that many of the 39 common additives he studied, including BHT and BHA, produced DNA damage at low doses close to the ADI, (the Allowable Daily Intake).
In 1999, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Eighth Report on Carcinogens stated: "There is sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) in experimental animals " administration of butylated hydroxyanisole in the diet induced papillomas (non-cancerous tumors) and carcinomas (cancers) of the forestomach in mice."
In the year 2000, the NIH Ninth Report on Carcinogens stated - and the Tenth Report and the Eleventh Report repeat - that BHA "is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals." When put in their diet, BHA caused papillomas and carcinomas in the forestomach of rats, mice, and hamsters. But each year the NIH concludes, "No data were available to evaluate the carcinogenicity of butylated hydroxyanisole in humans."
These preservatives are not always listed on product labels. If the product contains oil or other secondary ingredients, preservatives in those ingredients may not be listed. They can be avoided, however, by using the Feingold Association's Foodlist & Shopping Guide.
The Research:
Some of the relevant studies, including those referred to above, are described below, alphabetically, by first researcher.
Bauer 2001 - Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) increases lung tumors in certain kinds of mice. Thus, BHT is used with other tumor and inflammation promoters to increase tumor production for research.
Bauer 2005 - In a study of chronic pulmonary disease and how it causes lung cancers, the researchers used BHT together with other promoters to maximize the available mouse tumors to study.
Dengate 2002 - Calcium propionate (a bread preservative) caused irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in children who had responded well to a diet removing synthetic additives and tyramine. Note: This study was done in Australia, where much more calcium propionate is used in bread than in the U.S. While not eliminated by the Feingold Program, products containing this preservative are marked with a (CP) symbol in the Foodlist books.
Fisherman 1973 - 250 mg BHT in food caused an asthma attack within 75 minutes in some asthmatic patients.
Kahl 1983 - Feeding rats BHT increases some chemicals but decreases others in hepatic (liver) microsomes.
Kahl 1984 - Studying the action of BHA and BHT on cells and organs, Kahl was hoping they may protect against cancer. Although they do protect against radiation and have anti-tumor actions, their use in the prevention of human cancer was judged "unlikely" in light of their ability to promote tumors themselves.
Kahl 1993 - The toxicology of BHA, BHT, and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is described. At high doses all antagonize vitamin K and interfere with blood clotting. BHT is toxic to the lungs and causes liver tumors. BHA causes tumors of the forestomach. Kahl says all published findings agree that BHA and BHT are tumor promoters, but vitamin E is not carcinogenic and is safe to use in higher doses.
McFarlane 1997 - Pregnant rats fed a "nominal" dose of BHT (500 mg/kg) had liver enlargement and abnormality. Pups were born at normal weight, but lost weight while nursing and did not gain it back.
Meyer 1980 - When pregnant rats received 500 mg/kg BHT, there was a significant negative effect on body weight in both generations, and developmental problems in the pups, starting during the lactation period.
NIH Eleventh Report on Carcinogens 2005 - BHA is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals " No data were available to evaluate the carcinogenicity of BHA in humans." Note: They have been saying this every year since 1986.
Safer 1999 - Rats fed BHT had increased liver weight. Under an electron microscope, the liver cells showed gradual vacuolization (holes) and disintegration, a "moth-eaten" appearance, withered mitochondria (mitochondria control cell energy), and necrosis (death). These findings were described in clinical and gruesome detail.
Sarafian 2002 - Exposure to marijuana smoke and BHA is far more harmful to the lungs than either one alone.
Sasaki 2002 - Both BHA and BHT cause DNA damage in the stomach, colon and bladder.
Siman 1996 - BHT has adverse effects on the liver of rats. Like tobacco and many drugs, it is metabolized by cytochrome P450 in the liver, where it becomes a harmful pro-oxidative compound instead of the anti-oxidant it is supposed to be.
Stokes 1974 - 0.5% BHA or BHT was fed to pregnant mice and their offspring. Compared to controls, BHA-treated pups explored more, and slept, groomed, and learned less. BHT-treated pups slept less, learned less, and were more aggressive.
Stolze 1999 - The combination of BHA and TBHQ was shown to cause harmful effects on erythrocyte (red blood cell) membrane structures.
Takami 1999 - BHA, BHT and 3 other preservatives were shown to damage oocyte (egg) maturation in female rats. Antioxidants with no harm to oocyte maturation included ascorbic acid and vitamin E.
Tanaka 1993 - BHT was fed to mice for 3 generations. At the lowest (0.015%) level, body weight of the pups was increased at birth and during lactation for each generation. A few neurobehavioral parameters (e.g., turning over and crawling uphill) were affected at all levels.
Thompson 1988 - BHA interacts with BHT in the lungs of mice by stimulating formation of hydrogen peroxide which increases the ability of BHT to bind to protein. Both of these things directly injure the lung tissues.
Thompson 1988 - BHT produces an increase in mouse lung weight by the necrosis (death) of cells in the lung walls. BHA alone has no effect on lung weight up to a dose of 500 mg/kg. However, when added to small amounts of BHT, the BHA significantly increased the lung weight in a dose-dependent manner.
Thompson 1988 - In rat liver mitochondria, BHA and BHT inhibited respiratory control of cells by stimulating state 4 respiration. They also affected the mitochondrial membrane, causing calcium release and mitochondrial swelling. There was a rapid decrease in ATP (energy source) levels and then cell death.
Thompson 1989 - Like BHA, phenolic compounds in medicine and foods stimulate BHT to become the more toxic BHT-quinone methide. Note: Salicylates, food dyes - even neurotransmitters - are phenolic.
Thompson 1989 - BHA enhanced the covalent binding of BHT by 400%, increased the formation of the polar and aqueous metabolites of BHT, and created two additional metabolites of BHT.
Tryphonas 1999 - 0.5% BHT treatment resulted in a significant reduction in natural killer (NK) cell activity of splenocytes (cells in spleen that kill invaders). Note: This means BHT affects the immune system.
Yu 2000 - The proposed use of BHA as a cancer prevention is challenged by the observation that BHA has a toxic effect in animals, causing apoptosis (cell death) in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes (liver cells).
Zoccarato 1987 - In guinea pig cerebral cortex neurons, it was seen that BHA and BHT strongly inhibit certain processes important to calcium ion depolarization of GABA and glutamate neuron transmission.
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