Man Goes To Restaurant. Then He Finds Creative Way To Not Touch Receipt Because Of The ‘Estrogen’: ‘This Would Be A Reason To Break Up’

Every “health conscious” person interprets the phrase a little differently.

For some, monitoring their health could simply involve maintaining a good diet and proper exercise routine. Others follow the health trends of the day, whether it’s intermittent fasting or cutting out seed oils.

Sometimes, these health precautions can seem a little ridiculous to those who aren’t in the know. But are they a relationship red flag?

What Did This Man Do With This Receipt?

In a video with over 639,000 views, TikTok user Bahaar (@bahaar_wears_pink) shows her boyfriend outside of a restaurant. The man is bending down to pick up a receipt, covering his hand with his T-shirt while doing so.

“Real footage of my boyfriend refusing to touch the receipt paper bc it has estrogen on it or whatever,” she wrote.

In the caption and comments, the TikToker clarifies that the boyfriend was simply making a joke.

“I swear this is a joke,” she wrote. “He was trying to make me laugh.”

Still, seeing this video, many may wonder if there’s any truth to the idea that receipt paper has estrogen on it.

Do Receipts Really Have Estrogen On Them?

The idea that receipt paper directly contains estrogen is incorrect. However, the full story is a little more complicated.

This thinking largely comes from studies about bisphenol A, or BPA, which used to be present in many receipts. However, as more governments have regulated BPA use, BPA has largely been replaced with bisphenol S, or BPS.

As noted by the New York Times, BPA is a known hormone disruptor. It mimics estrogen in the body, and exposure via the skin has been linked to fertility issues, insulin resistance, and other problems.

Does BPS have these same issues? In short, we simply don’t know, but early evidence suggests that it could have a similar impact to BPA.

What You Should Know About BPS

While data about BPS is still being collected, there are some concerning signs that show it may not be the best for one’s body.

To start, a 2019 study of nearly 1,900 pregnant women in China found that those with the highest amounts of BPS in their urine were about 68% more likely to develop gestational diabetes compared to those with the lowest levels.

Additionally, studies in children have found that kids with higher levels of BPS in their urine tend to show more signs of insulin resistance and problems with blood vessel health. This isn’t even mentioning the multiple mouse studies that have shown negative impacts of the chemical.

All that said, it should be noted that neither BPA nor BPS absorbs instantly. As a customer, you are likely more than fine simply holding a receipt for a few seconds or minutes. That said, if you are someone who works with receipts often, you may want to consider wearing gloves to limit your exposure.

Commenters Are Divided

To start, many commenters didn’t realize the video was a joke. Consequently, they offered their criticisms of the boyfriend.

“If you ain’t leaving him, leave us out of it,” said a commenter.

“Major red flag lol,” offered a second.

However, others commented on the claim itself, with some voicing their own positions on whether one should be personally handling receipts.

“I generally refuse receipts because of the BPA contained in the surface which can be absorbed through the skin,” wrote a user. “I spent enough time in retail and I really do not need more microplastics in my blood.”

“Yall are freaking out over nothing,” countered another. “I work in a money counting facility where we touch hundreds of receipts every day. There are people who have been here for 20 years and healthy as a horse.”

BroBible reached out to Bahaar via TikTok direct message and comment.