Bisphenol A and reproductive hormones and cortisol in peripubertal boys: The INMA-Granada cohort

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known endocrine disrupting compound. Although several studies have investigated the effect of BPA exposure and reproductive hormones in humans, results have been inconsistent.

To explore the cross-sectional relationship between bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and reproductive hormones/cortisol among peripubertal boys.

Urinary BPA and serum hormones were assessed in 172 boys belonging to the INMA "Environment and Childhood" Granada birth cohort in their follow-up at 9-11years of age. BPA concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and levels of serum total testosterone (TT), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and cortisol were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

After adjustment for confounders, linear regression models showed that each natural-log unit increase in urinary BPA concentrations was associated with a 19% increase in geometric mean (GM) serum TT levels, and a 16% decrease in GM serum cortisol levels. When urinary BPA concentrations were categorized in tertiles, boys in the 3rd tertile showed 49% higher TT levels and 23% lower cortisol concentrations compared to boys in the 1st tertile. Additionally, urinary BPA concentrations were also significantly associated with higher TT:LH and TT:cortisol ratios, but not with serum LH or FSH levels.

Our results suggest the possible endocrine disrupting potential of BPA during this important period of development. Although action at the testis or pituitary cannot be ruled out, our findings are compatible with a possible involvement of BPA at the adrenal gland, resulting in a differential production of androgens/cortisol. However, given the cross-sectional design of our study, the heterogeneous results reported in the literature, and the scant experimental research on BPA effects at the adrenal gland, the present findings should be interpreted with caution.