BPA Exposure Increases Risk of Sexual Dysfunction

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Exposure to Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in the production of plastics and epoxy resins found in baby bottles, plastic containers, the lining of cans used for food and beverages, and in dental sealants, may increase the risk of reduced sexual function in men.
BPA is believed to be a human endocrine disrupter, likely affecting both male and female reproductive systems.

The five-year study examined 634 workers in factories in China, comparing workers in BPA manufacturing facilities with workers in factories where no BPA was present. The study found that the workers in the BPA facilities had four times the risk of erectile dysfunction, and seven times more risk of ejaculation difficulty.

The BPA levels experienced by the exposed factory workers in the study were 50 times greater than the average American male encounters, according to the researchers.

"Because the BPA levels in this study were very high, more research needs to be done to see how low a level of BPA exposure may have effects on our reproductive system," study lead author De-Kun Li, MD, Ph.D., a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland, CA, was quoted as saying. "This study raises the question: Is there a safe level for BPA exposure, and what is that level? More studies like this, which examine the effect of BPA on humans, are critically needed to help establish prevention strategies and regulatory policies."

Researchers measured sexual function based on in-person interviews using a standard male sexual function inventory that measures four categories of male sexual function including erectile function, ejaculation capability, sexual desire, and overall satisfaction with sex life.

After adjusting for age, education, marital status, current smoking status, a history of chronic diseases and exposure to other chemicals, the researchers found the BPA-exposed workers had a risk of sexual dysfunction that was significantly higher than the unexposed workers.

The BPA-exposed workers had a nearly four-fold increased risk of reduced sexual desire and overall satisfaction with their sex life, greater than four-fold increased risk of erection difficulty, and more than seven-fold increased risk of ejaculation difficulty.

Compared to the unexposed workers, BPA-exposed workers reported significantly higher frequencies of reduced sexual function within one year of employment in the BPA-exposed factories. A dose-response relationship was observed, with an increasing level of cumulative BPA exposure associated with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction.

SOURCE: Human Reproduction, November 11, 2009.