In a world fraught with multiple hidden perils, it now seems that men interested in safeguarding their erectile function — and what man isn’t? — may want to avoid overexposure to a chemical known as bisphenol-A, or BPA.
Yup, that’s the same chemical found in the plastic bottles and containers that were the subject of health concerns a few years back. As it turns out, BPA is quite the ubiquitous compound, showing up not only in baby bottles and containers for storing foods and beverages but also in the thermal paper and ink used in the printing of supermarket receipts and lottery tickets.
Chinese Study Cited
Alarmed at the high incidence of impotence among factory workers exposed to large quantities of BPA, Chinese researchers a few years ago conducted a scientific study of the compound’s effects on erectile function. They compared sexual function between two groups of workers. The first group was made up of 230 men who worked at factories producing BPA or epoxy resin, which contains high levels of BPA. The second group consisted of 404 workers who were not routinely exposed to high levels of BPA in their work.
The Chinese study found that men exposed to high levels of BPA were four to seven times more likely to experience some form of sexual dysfunction. The incidence of erectile dysfunction among the BPA-exposed workers was slightly more than four times that of unexposed workers. BPA-exposed workers also were found to be seven times more likely to suffer from premature ejaculation.
Earlier Animal Studies
Earlier studies have indicated that high exposure to BPA can cause reproductive problems in animals, but the Chinese study is the first to find a link between high BPA exposure and sexual dysfunction in humans. It should be noted that Chinese workers in BPA and epoxy resin manufacture were typically exposed to roughly 50 times the amount of BPA likely to be experienced by the average American male. For that reason, the Chinese study’s findings would probably only apply to U.S. men who work with the chemical compound closely and thus are exposed to comparable levels of BPA.
De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., a reproductive epidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research, said further studies must be done to determine what, if any, adverse effects are caused by exposure to lower levels of BPA. “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.”
A few years after the Chinese study was published, Harvard researchers unveiled findings that indicate exposure to BPA disrupts the human reproductive process and could account for 20 percent of otherwise unexplained infertility. BPA exposure was also associated with a possible increase in birth defects.
The Harvard research team exposed 352 eggs from 121 consenting fertility clinic patients to varying levels of BPA. Lead researcher Catherine Racowsky, Ph.D., told WebMD.com that the “exposure of eggs to BPA decreased the percentage of eggs that matured and increased the percentage of eggs that degenerated.” Racowsky is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and the director of the assisted reproductive technologies laboratory at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
‘Spontaneous Activation’
Racowsky said that BPA exposure also caused a disturbing increase in a phenomenon known as “spontaneous activation,” in which eggs that have not yet been fertilized act as if they have. She also noted that many of the eggs exposed to BPA matured abnormally, which increases the chances of infertility and birth defects.
A year before the 2009 publication of the Chinese study linking high BPA exposure to an increased risk of erectile dysfunction, concerns about the compound’s effects on infants and toddlers made headlines across the United States. These concerns led to a rush to discard baby bottles and sippy cups with BPA and replace them with products that are BPA-free.
BPA Prohibited in Some Products
In 2012, responding to widespread concerns about BPA’s potential health threat to young children, the Food and Drug Administration officially prohibited the use of BPA in baby bottles and children’s drinking cups. However, the public outcry in advance of the FDA ban had already pressured most manufacturers to voluntarily stop using the compound in the manufacture of such products.
The FDA ban was limited to products for use by infants and toddlers and simply formalized what the manufacturers were already doing based on consumer preferences. In announcing the new regulation, Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, emphasized that the agency had not abandoned its previously stated opinion that exposure to BPA in most consumer products was safe.
At the heart of concerns about BPA’s effects on sexual function and reproductive health is its classification as a possible endocrine disruptor. Such substances can “interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife,” according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Although the Food and Drug Administration continues to maintain that the levels of BPA encountered in most consumer products are safe and no cause for concern, studies continue to learn more about the compound and its adverse health effects, if any. One such study is known as the CLARITY-BPA (Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity). Among the many partners in this ambitious undertaking are the FDA, NIEHS, and National Toxicology Program, as well as academic and industry representatives.
How to Avoid BPA Exposure
Because the jury is still out on BPA’s adverse health effects, if any, it would be premature to suggest that consumers avoid all products that contain BPA. However, for those who worry that the chemical could be hazardous to their health, Brent A. Bauer, M.D., has a handful of suggestions on how to reduce your exposure to the compound. Dr. Bauer is the director of the Department of Internal Medicine’s Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
- Use BPA-free products. In the wake of increased concerns about this chemical compound, many manufacturers have marketed products clearly labeled as BPA-free. If there is no such label, check for recycle codes of 3 and 7, both of which are found in plastic containers made with BPA.
- Avoid canned foods and beverages. Most cans on the market today are lined with resins that contain BPA.
- Don’t microwave foods in plastic containers. NIEHS advises against microwaving foods in polycarbonate plastic containers or washing such containers in the dishwasher. Exposure to heat can cause the plastic to break down over time, allowing BPA to contaminate foods stored in these containers.
- Opt for nonplastic alternatives. If in doubt about whether a plastic container contains BPA, avoid plastic containers altogether and instead choose glass, porcelain, or stainless steel containers for hot foods and liquids.
If you’d like to read more about both male and female sexual function, check out related articles in our blog.
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