Bisphenol A Exposure Interferes with Reproductive Hormones and Decreases Sperm Counts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies
PubMed 38668517 · doi:10.3390/toxics12040294
What was done
The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies searched across PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to October 2023. A total of 18 studies were included. Multivariate linear regression β coefficients examining associations between urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations and male reproductive parameters were pooled using a random-effects model.
What was found
Urinary BPA concentration was significantly negatively correlated with sperm concentration (β coefficient = -0.03; 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.01; I² = 0.0%, p = 0.003) and total sperm count (β coefficient = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.02; I² = 0.0%, p < 0.001). BPA exposure was also associated with increased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and estradiol (E2) levels and reduced biologically active androgen levels (no numerical estimates provided in abstract). The association between BPA and increased risk of below-reference sperm quality was not robust.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis aggregates epidemiological evidence indicating that BPA exposure is consistently associated with subtle reductions in sperm counts and disrupted male reproductive hormone profiles.
Limits
The included literature consists of observational studies subject to unmeasured confounding, and causal inference cannot be established. The abstract does not provide the total human participant sample size, individual numerical values for hormone changes, or exposure ranges, and the clinical impact on below-reference sperm quality was inconclusive.
Cited by
- supports High exposure to BPA and phthalates reduces sperm count, sperm motility, and normal sperm morphology.