There are lot of media health scare stories out there. Are the BPA (bisphenol a) news stories designed to make parents freak out? Because this BPA stuff is scary. Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad get to the bottom of it, with an assist from Daddy Troy who explains the science behind the chemical commonly found in plastic. Acts like estrogen in the body? Yikes. Causes obesity in mice. Ouch. Pay attention, parents, because this is the closest we ever get to actual parenting advice. Here are the DadLabs tips for helping your family avoid BPA: * Avoid food and beverage marked with the recyclable #7 and shop for BPA free products. * Avoid using plastic cutlery and plates. * Do not use plastic plates and cups in the microwave. * Throw away any worn plastic plates and cups. * DadLabs Ep. 261 The Lab.

DADDY CLAY: Welcome back to the lab, I’m Daddy Clay.

DADDY BRAD: And I’m Daddy Brad. If there is one thing that drives us nuts its the media concocted health scares that seem designed to make parents insane with worry. Right, Daddy Clay?

DADDY CLAY: Yes. Well. Most of the time.

DADDY BRAD: Most of the time?!

DADDY CLAY: Yeah there was that one report, I forwarded you the link...

DADDY BRAD: Oh, no...

DADDY CLAY: Oh, yes, time for a little Parental Plastic Panic -- Bisphenol A and you. For those of you that don’t read forwarded emails from alarmed friends, you might we wondering what Bisphenol A is.

DADDY TROY: Bisphenol A is a high-production volume chemical used in the production of epoxy resins, polycarbonate plastics, and flame retardants. Polycarbonate plastics are used in food and drink packaging (particularly #7 plastics); resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. So it’s everywhere.

DADDY BRAD: Dude, have you read this?

DADDY CLAY: I sent it to you.

DADDY BRAD: This is a government report.

DADDY CLAY: From a branch of the NIH, yes.

DADDY BRAD: BPA exhibits some biological activities similar to estrogen and other hormones?!

DADDY CLAY: For more detail, let’s go to Troy’s lab.

DADDY TROY: Dude, I’m right here.

DADDY CLAY: Yeah, but it looks cooler when we cut to you.

DADDY TROY: Researchers suspect that Bisphenol A may be acting as an endocrine disruptor. In lab animals, prenatal or early exposure to these substances causes the formation of additional fat cells, and predisposes the animals to obesity for life.

DADDY CLAY: Thanks, Troy.

DADDY TROY: Sure.

DADDY CLAY: So without being alarmist, BPA is in a lot of things, it’s shown to cause obesity in mice. There’s been a rise in obesity in this country since it started showing up.

DADDY BRAD: Makes sense to get it away from your young kids and pregnant wives. How do we do it?

DADDY CLAY: Avoid containers with the recycle symbol #7, minimize the amount of this stuff in your house. Careful with plastic plates and silverware.

DADDY BRAD: Shop for BPA free products -- bottles and toys especially.

DADDY CLAY: When heating or microwaving, dealing with hot liquid, stay away from plastics.

DADDY BRAD: When possible, go for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers. Evenflo still makes old-school glass baby bottles.

DADDY BRAD: I knew it was getting hard to keep the weight off.

DADDY CLAY: It really doesn’t effect us. Early exposure does it, and BPA didn’t really come into use until 1993 or so.

DADDY BRAD: You sure you didn’t catch a little dose there in 1968 there, Daddy Clay.

DADDY CLAY: I’m on a diet! Ever since that commenter on YouTube said I looked like prego man.