Is Bisphenol A (BPA) Altering Sexual Behavior in Humans?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting estrogenic chemical that permeates society as a pollutant and is readily found in human urine samples indicating broad public exposure. It is in hardened plastics often used for infant feeding, meaning that exposure to our youngest citizens has been common for some time especially if bottle fed. A new study proves for the first time that infants are exposed to levels of BPA¹ that are consistent with a multitude of animal studies demonstrating dramatically altered sexual behavior and function.

BPA is interesting because it appears most toxic at lower doses, making this new report very alarming. The FDA and EPA are dragging their feet on this issue even though the evidence of harm is significant. This appears to be their typical ploy of protecting industry from lawsuits.

Numerous animal studies (click on this link for a comprehensive review article²) show that BPA exposure early in life permanently alters sexual wiring in the brains of both female and male animals. It makes males more estrogenic and females more non-responsive³, and sometimes masculine. It alters reproductive function, is a risk for infertility, and increases risk for sex hormone cancers.