Parabens are a group of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid that are commonly added to personal care products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and beverage and food processing as antimicrobial preservatives. Parabens have been reported to show estrogenic effects and affect male reproduction function in animal models, but human epidemiologic studies are still scarce. The objective of this study was to examine associations between urinary concentrations of parabens and semen quality and reproductive hormone levels. This was a cross-sectional study with 215 young university students (18–23 years old) recruited between 2010 and 2011 in Southern Spain (Murcia Region). After taking into account important covariates, urinary concentrations of parabens or their molar sum were not significantly associated with any semen parameters or any of the reproductive hormone levels. Our results suggest that, in young men, urinary parabens may not adversely impact reproductive function, but further research is warranted to confirm these findings in other male populations.
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