Bisphenol A decreases peripheral insulin sensitivity in normal weight adults: a double-blind randomized controlled...

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used in consumer goods that has been linked to type 2 diabetes in observational studies. No human experimental studies have examined whether BPA reduces peripheral insulin sensitivity.

To determine the effects of oral BPA administration on peripheral insulin sensitivity over 5 days.

Forty sedentary, but otherwise healthy adults (22 F, 18 M; 21.3 ± 2.1 year; 22.1 ± 2.3 kg/m2; 85% non-Hispanic White) completed a 2-day baseline energy-balanced diet low in BPA during which urine, blood, and peripheral insulin sensitivity via 120 minutes euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique (40 mU/m2/min; 90 mg/dL) were assessed. In a double-blind fashion, participants were randomly assigned to receive 5 days of oral BPA administration at 50 µg/kg body weight (BPA-50) or placebo (PL). All participants were fed the same energy-balanced diet. Outcomes were assessed using a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA adjusted for baseline sex, BMI, physical activity, and ethnicity.

After treatment, urine BPA levels were significantly higher in BPA-50 compared to PL (+ 268 700 ± 63 983 vs PL: + 8893 ± 6786 pg/mL, P = .009). After treatment, body weight and fasting glucose were not statistically different between PL and BPA-50 (P > .05). However, BPA significantly decreased peripheral insulin sensitivity by 0.02 ± 0.01 mg/kg/min/uU/mL compared with an increase observed following PL by 0.02 ± 0.01 mg/kg/min/uU/mL (P = .01).

BPA administration decreased peripheral insulin sensitivity after 5 days. These data provide the first experimental evidence in humans that BPA administration may reduce insulin sensitivity.