The natural estrogen, estradiol, binds to the estrogen receptor, and the natural androgen, testosterone, binds to the androgen receptor.  During development, the amount of estrogen the prostate tissue is exposed to will determine how many estrogen and androgen receptors the prostate cells will ultimately have. 

The finding that estrogenic chemicals may permanently increase the sensitivity of the prostate tissues to sex hormones deserves careful study as a potential contributor to these common prostate diseases.

BPA disrupts proper functioning of the placenta during gestation, and causes many other deleterious health effects in offspring exposed in utero, including enlarged prostates, malformed urethra and a higher risk of prostate cancer in male offspring.  It causes genital tract alterations and earlier puberty in female offspring. 

When lab mice and rats are exposed to BPA at levels similar to those currently found in humans, they show altered behavior and menstrual cycles and an increase in prostate cancer, breast cancer and type II diabetes. 

Scientists have been wondering for several years if xeno-estrogens, man-made chemicals similar to estrogen may be increasing the incidence of cancers of the reproductive organs - especially prostate cancer.

These studies do not sit well with industry groups, so the American Plastics Council (APC) commissioned its own review from Harvard Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA), which has received funding from all the major BPA producers and their trade groups.

The chemical industry has also defended its products by attacking the credibility of scientists reporting ill effects. 

Even though ninety percent of government studies found significant effects of Bisphenol A at doses below the EPA’s lowest adverse effect level, not a single [plastics] industry study found any effect!   I wonder why.

While plastics are typically thought of as being stable, scientists have known for many years that the chemical linkage between BPA molecules was unstable, and that BPA leaches into food or beverages in contact with the plastics. 

The chemical industry and federal regulatory agencies have resisted banning BPA from plastics used as food and beverage containers, despite the fact that plastics free of BPA and other toxic chemicals are available.