BHA and OPP show weak estrogen-like activity in lab cells
What it found
In lab tests on human breast cancer cells, BHA and OPP acted weakly like the hormone estrogen.
Much higher concentrations were needed than for natural estrogen.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
BHA made cells grow
In lab tests, BHA made MCF-7 breast cancer cells grow. The effect was weak compared with natural estrogen, and much higher concentrations were needed.
OPP made cells grow
In lab tests, OPP also made MCF-7 cells grow, with a weak effect. The authors note that OPP's top growth concentration was relatively high.
Blocking the estrogen receptor
When the cells were treated with an estrogen blocker called ICI 182,780, the growth from BHA, OPP and several plant compounds was almost completely stopped. This suggests the growth went through the estrogen receptor.
Binding to estrogen receptors
In lab binding tests, BHA could compete with natural estrogen for both estrogen receptor alpha and beta, though weakly. OPP bound too weakly for the authors to calculate a value.
Gene activity changes
In cells treated with BHA or OPP, the gene for estrogen receptor alpha went down over time and the gene for progesterone receptor went up. These changes were similar to those from natural estrogen, but needed much higher concentrations.
Other additives tested
Of the 66 food additives tested, 17 made the cells grow, but all were weaker than natural estrogen. BHT, TBHQ, aspartame and saccharin did not make the cells grow.
What the authors conclude
“These results may suggest that we should be careful not to ingest excessive food additives.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say these results may suggest that we should be careful not to ingest excessive food additives.
- They note that BHA and OPP showed effects similar to natural estrogen, though at concentrations 20000 times higher.
- They say that the effects of these compounds on living animals need to be studied, not just lab tests.
How it was done
The authors wanted to check whether food additives and other things people swallow could interfere with hormones, since most safety checks look at cancer and birth defects rather than hormone effects.
They tested more than 90 chemicals, including 66 food additives, on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells to see if the cells grew faster. They also ran binding tests on human estrogen receptors and looked at gene activity in the cells after treatment with BHA and OPP.
What it can’t tell you
- These are lab tests on cells. They can't show what happens in people who eat these additives.
- The concentrations used in the lab were much higher than what people normally eat.
- The authors say that animal studies are needed to understand the effects in the body.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- The Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, Japan
The paper
- Title
- [Studies on estrogenic activities of food additives with human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and mechanism of estrogenicity by BHA and OPP]
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Okubo T, Kano I (2003). [Studies on estrogenic activities of food additives with human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and mechanism of estrogenicity by BHA and OPP]. Yakugaku zasshi. doi:10.1248/yakushi.123.443Free full textPubMed 12822488DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error