BPA may be the cause of the ADHD epidemic: Scientists link the plastics chemical to the condition

Health experts have been digging through the data trying to figure out why so many children these days are suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and they just may have stumbled upon one of the biggest culprits: the plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA).

New research published in the journal Environment International highlights the fact that BPA, like other chemicals used in plastics, is an endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with hormone production and balance.

Children exposed to BPA early on in life, the review found, are much more susceptible than other children to develop behavioral problems like hyperactivity later in life. The review looked at more than 30 different scientific studies on the subject, its authors declaring it to be a “compelling piece of evidence” in the puzzle of what causes ADHD.