BPA may increase male sexual dysfunction

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Workplace exposure to the chemical Bisphenol-A, used in food packaging and plastics, may jack up the risk of male sexual dysfunction, U.S. researchers found.

The five-year study examined 634 workers in factories in China, comparing workers in BPA manufacturing facilities with a control group of workers in factories where no BPA was present.

The study found workers in the BPA facilities had quadruple the risk of erectile dysfunction, and seven times more risk of ejaculation difficulty.

Dr. De-Kun Li of Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., said the study adds to the body of evidence questioning the safety of BPA, a chemical made in the production of polycarbonated plastics and epoxy resins found in baby bottles, plastic containers, the lining of cans used for food and beverages and in dental sealants.

The BPA levels experienced by the exposed factory workers in the study were 50 times higher than what the average U.S. male faces, the researchers said.

"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," Li, the senior author, said in a statement.

"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."