Associations between bisphenols, benzophenones, and chlorophenols with fecundability modified by dietary phenols

Abstract

Background/Aim: Antioxidant dietary phenols, which are abundant in vegetables, fruits, and herbs, may ameliorate adverse associations between environmental phenols (found in food packaging, UV filters, herbicides, and disinfectants) and reproductive outcomes as they exert protective effects. We therefore evaluated whether dietary phenols modified the relationship between environmental phenols and fecundability.Methods: In a prospective cohort study following 1,228 women for up to 6 menstrual cycles while trying to conceive (United States, 2007-2011), concentrations of dietary phenols, bisphenols, benzophenones, and chlorophenols were measured in urine at baseline. Pregnancy was assessed using urine hCG. We used discrete Cox regression to examine how low-to-moderate (<75th percentile) versus high (≥75th percentile) levels of dietary phenols modified associations between environmental phenols and fecundability, adjusting for potential confounders.Results: Bisphenol-S was associated with reduced fecundability (fecundability odds ratio [FOR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90, 1.00, per log-unit increase), independent of dietary phenols, though other phenols were not associated with fecundability. Selected environmental phenols were associated with reduced fecundability in women with low-to-moderate dietary phenols but not in women with higher dietary phenols. Specifically, bisphenol-A was associated with reduced fecundability in women with low-to-moderate gallic acid (FOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81, 1.01). 4-hydroxybenzophenone was associated with reduced fecundability in women with low-to-moderate versus high 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (FOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83, 0.97 versus FOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.69, 1.11, respectively) and caffeic acid (FOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82, 0.96 versus FOR 1.18, 95% CI 0.94, 1.48, respectively). For pentachlorophenol, reduced fecundability was observed in women with low-to-moderate 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (FOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81, 1.00) and gallic acid (FOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81, 0.99).Conclusions: Consumption of dietary phenols may help mitigate the adverse effect of selected environmental phenols on fecundability, highlighting the potential interplay between diet and environmental exposures among women attempting pregnancy.