Researchers expose BPA health risk

Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. It is used in polycarbonate plastic products such as refillable drinks containers and plastic eating utensils.

Researchers analysed data from the InCHIANTI study, an Italian population sample, that measured the amount of BPA excreted each day in urine samples of 715 adults aged between 20 and 74. They then examined the statistical associations between the amount of BPA exposure and serum oestrogen and testosterone concentrations.

The average BPA daily exposure level in this European study population (more than 5 micrograms per day) was slightly higher than recent comparable estimates for the US population. The study found that higher BPA exposure was statistically associated with endocrine changes in men, specifically small increases in levels of testosterone in the blood.

BPA has a similar molecular structure to oestrogen and does cause some disruption of sex hormone signalling in laboratory animals, but this is the first large human study to suggest that it may have similar effects in adults at ’background’ exposure levels.