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Well you might not think it's that interesting (I'm not sure I do), but given that my BPA copy didn't make it to print, I thought you might like to read it.  At least it proves that I've learnt to write like a journo.
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Jean Adams

A chemical found in some babies’ bottles and food packaging has been linked to increased testosterone levels in men by new research.

The findings, from a team at Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, offer some support for laboratory studies that have shown an association between exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) and changes in the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen in animals.

Evidence on the link between BPA and sex hormones in humans has been more mixed and comes from very small studies. Two large studies have found a link between BPA and both heart disease and diabetes in the USA. Concerns have also been expressed about the influence of BPA on child development.

The new study of 715 Italian adults, which is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, appears to support such suggestions of an effect on testosterone.

Independent scientists, however, pointed out that the changes seen are much smaller than natural variations in testosterone levels, and said the study does not reveal any health risks.

Professor Richard Sharpe from the University of Edinburgh, said: "The change in testosterone levels due to BPA [seen in this study] is far less than occurs naturally in men. There is therefore no reason to suppose that the observed change presents a health risk to men."

BPA is thought to interfere with the natural breakdown of testosterone in the bloodstream. It may also trigger the body to produce more testosterone than normal.

Prof David Coggon Professor from the University of Southampton, said: "This is an interesting observation, but it needs to be independently replicated. If it is confirmed then further research will be required to understand the biochemical mechanisms underlying the relationship and its significance for health."

In the study, BPA in urine was monitored over 24 hours and levels of testosterone and oestrogen measured in blood. Higher BPA was associated with small increases in testosterone in the 332 men included. There was no association between BPA and testosterone in women, or between BPA and oestrogen in either men or women.

Professor David Melzer from Peninsula Medical School, who was involved in the research, said: "This is the first big study of BPA from a European country and shows that higher exposure to BPA is statistically associated with modest changes in levels of testosterone in men. This finding is consistent with the evidence from laboratory experiments."

As BPA is rapidly broken down by the body and excreted in the urine, BPA in urine is only a short-term measure of exposure to BPA. The long-term effects of BPA exposure are not known. Nor are the implications of today's findings for human health.

BPA is one of the world's highest production volume chemicals. It is found in some baby and water bottles, medical and dental devices, dental fillings, and as a coating on the inside of many food and beverage cans. Most human exposure to BPA is thought to occur when BPA leaks from food containers into the food we eat.

A number of countries have now banned the use of BPA from baby's bottles. The UK Food Standard's Agency current position on BPA states that "Current level of consumer exposure to BPA from food contact materials does not represent a food safety risk for consumers." BPA use has not been banned in the UK.

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Presumably there's no BPA in my metal water bottle.