Health and Wellness

Carnivore MD goes viral for claiming touching store receipts is bad for your health

A doctor is warning consumers to skip paper receipts because they contain cancer-causing chemicals. 

Dr Paul Saladino, a holistic medicine doctor who calls himself Carnivore MD, posted a TikTok video earlier this week showing himself avoiding picking up a paper receipt at a grocery store.

In the video, which has 3.6million views, Dr Saladino warns the ‘thermal paper receipts’ have a chemical coating on the surface that may contain BPA and BPS, industrial chemicals used to make hard plastics and synthetic clothing, which can be absorbed into the body through your skin. 

Dr Saladino said: ‘These are endocrine disruptor chemicals that can actually be absorbed through your skin.

‘Touching one once in a while at the grocery store isn’t the end of the world, but I would like to avoid as many endocrine disruptors in my life, thank you, as I can.’

Endocrine disruptors imitate the body’s hormones and interfere with the production of and response to normal natural hormones like estrogen and testosterone.

Research has linked them to infertility, longer menstrual cycles, erectile dysfunction, and some forms of cancer. 

While Dr Saladino faced a slew of criticism on TikTok, recent studies have suggested  that up to eight in 10 paper receipts could actually contain the chemicals, and experts recommend avoiding touching receipts if possible.

Dr Paul Saladino, a holistic medicine doctor in California, posted a TikTok video earlier this week showing himself avoiding picking up a paper receipt at a grocery store due to endocrine disrupting chemicals

Dr Paul Saladino, a holistic medicine doctor in California, posted a TikTok video earlier this week showing himself avoiding picking up a paper receipt at a grocery store due to endocrine disrupting chemicals

Recent research suggests that eight in 10 store receipts contain BPA and BPS (stock image)

Recent research suggests that eight in 10 store receipts contain BPA and BPS (stock image)

While recent research suggests BPA and BPS may be present in most store receipts, it’s still unclear how much exposure to BPA and BPS these receipts bring.

A study conducted last year by the nonprofit Ecology Center found 80 percent of receipts from 144 major US chains in 22 states contained BPA and BPS. Chains included Walmart and McDonald’s. 

Melissa Cooper Sargent, an environmental health advocate at the Ecology Center, said at the time of publication: ‘Receipts are a common exposure route for hormone-disrupting bisphenols which readily absorb through the skin. 

‘Our studies show most retailers use bisphenol-coated receipt paper.

‘Switching to non-toxic paper is an easy shift.’

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also stated it is seeking ‘functional alternatives’ to thermal paper.   

BPA (Bisphenol A) is an industrial chemical used in hard plastics and resins to make them more durable. 

In one recent review, researchers found exposure to BPA in women can lead to a decline in the development and quality of eggs.

There was also an increased risk of implantation failure, when fertilized eggs do not implant in the uterine lining correctly, frequently resulting in pregnancy loss. 

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading contributor to infertility, and a risk factor for endometrial cancer and diabetes, has also been linked to BPA exposure. 

Additionally, these harmful substances can result in longer menstrual cycles and early onset of puberty, which has been linked to depression, substance abuse and adult breast cancer. 

The researchers also looked at the effect of endocrine disruptors on male sexual health. 

They found these chemicals decreased semen quality and led to the malformation of the male reproductive tract, lowering fertility.

BPS (Bisphenol S), meanwhile, is used to make hard plastic items and synthetic fibers in athletic clothing. 

The chemical has similar effects to BPA, with a 2020 study published in the journal Nutrients finding BPS was ‘more toxic to the reproductive system than BPA and was shown to hormonally promote certain breast cancers at the same rate as BPA.’ 

To reduce exposure, Dr Saladino suggested either not taking the receipt or grabbing it with a sleeve or shirt and throwing it in the trash. 

Receiving digital receipts via emails or text messages is also an effective way to avoid thermal paper. 

If you are met with a receipt, you can check if it is thermal paper by scratching it with your fingernail. If the paper produces black marks when you scratch it, it is most likely thermal paper with a chemical coating.  

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