Is a plastic compound robbing men of their mojo?
Are men losing their sex appeal? A new study suggests that they are and that BPA is to blame.
ABC News reports that the study involved female mice and male mice, including some who had been exposed to BPA — also known as bisphenol-A — while in the womb. According to the experiment, female mice were not attracted to male mice who had been exposed to BPA. Furthermore, the male mice who had been exposed to BPA were more likely to behave like females. Female mice exposed to BPA did not exhibit any changes.
Some researchers say that BPA may alter male hormone signals which, some believe, could alter developmental sexual traits in humans.
The results of this study come a week after the American Medical Association voted to adopt a policy recognizing BPA as a chemical that interferes with hormones. BPA is commonly used to harden plastic and manufacturers have been urged to label and identify products containing it. The European Union and Canada have both adopted legislation banning the use of BPA in baby bottles and the U.S. may be soon to follow.
“While the exact outcomes may differ in humans, there is reason for concern that sex-specific behavioral alterations are a significant risk following prenatal exposure to BPA,” said Dr. Rodney Dietert, professor of immunotoxicology at Cornell University.
The American Chemistry Council, however, released a statment saying, “Given the incredibly high exposure levels of BPA used in this study—a single dose level approximately 250,000 times higher than typical human intake – there is little to be learned from the authors’ work.”
What do you think? Is BPA making men lose their sex appeal? Should the U.S. take actions to ban it? Share your thoughts with us!
