Add sexual dysfunction to the list of problems—cancer, low sperm counts, obesity, reproductive disorders, diabetes—linked to the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA).
A new study by Kaiser Permanente found that men with high levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to have lower sex drives, difficulty getting an erection, lower ejaculation strength and were less satisfied with their sex lives. Published online in the Journal of Andrology, the five-year study involved 427 people living in regions of China where factories made BPA or epoxy resin, which has BPA as an ingredient. Lead author De-Kun Li noted that even among men exposed to BPA from only environmental, not occupational, sources, “there were indications of an increased risk of sexual dysfunction.”
BPA is commonly found in canned foods and drinks, a variety of plastics (particularly hard ones labeled #7), sales receipts and dental sealants. The Environmental Protection Agency placed BPA on a “chemicals of concern” list in March, and efforts to get it more highly regulated or even banned are underway.