Concerns over 'female chemicals'

Roman Bystrianyk · medicine forum Guru Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 454

"Concerns over 'female chemicals'", BBC News, May 4, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4509241.stm

Chemicals in oral contraceptives and food containers harm the
development of baby mice and US experts are concerned about the effects
in humans.

Male mice exposed to the substances while in the womb developed
deformities of the prostate and urethra.

The University of Missouri team published their findings in Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences.

But experts urged people not to be alarmed and said there was no clear
evidence of such problems in humans.

Chemicals

The two man-made chemicals tested by the researchers were
ethinylestradiol and bisphenol A.

They fed mice doses of these chemicals below the range pregnant women
can be exposed to if they continue to take use oral contraceptives or
eat contaminated food and beverages.

The male foetuses of the exposed pregnant mice developed bigger
prostates and had narrowing of the urethra - the tube that empties the
bladder of urine.

Frederick vom Saal, professor of biological sciences at the University
of Missouri, who led the study, said: "During foetal life, small
amounts of such oestrogenic chemicals could permanently disrupt
cellular control systems and predispose the prostate to disease."

He believes it is possible that these chemicals might lead to prostate
cancer.

Professor Roger Kirby, urologist at St George's hospital in London and
spokesman for the charity Prostate Research Campaign, said the new
research might help shed light on rising prostate cancer rates.

More research

"We are seeing more prostate cancer, and are also seeing it in younger
people. So clearly there could be some environmental factor."

But he cautioned: "These findings are not conclusive and people should
not be concerned. It's more of a warning light flashing on the
dashboard. We need more research."

He said pregnant mothers might be advised to avoid these chemicals when
possible.

Dr Richard Sharpe, from the Medical Research Council Human Reproductive
Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, said: "This is not showing that there is an
effect on prostate cancer or prostate disease in adults.

"The study is on mice and the findings cannot be extrapolated to
humans. The mouse is not a good model for the human in this case.

"During pregnancy, women produce a lot of oestrogen so babies are
exposed to this naturally. This does not happen in mice."

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