Male fertility is a complex process. It has always been attributed to a person’s lifestyle, alcohol, smoking, daily stress and some medical conditions. Apart from these factors we never thought, everyday products could also have a direct impact on the male fertility. One in three “non-toxic” chemicals used in the manufacture of everyday items significantly affected the potency of sperm cells, which may account for the high incidence of unexplained infertility in the human population, the researchers said.
Chemicals in common household products such as toothpaste, soap and plastic toys have a direct impact on human sperm which could help explain rising levels of male infertility, researchers warn.
The study was part of wider research into so-called “endocrine‑disrupting” chemicals that for several years have been linked with declining sperm counts and widespread male infertility.
However, the scientists found that one in three common household chemicals found in products such as sun screens, detergents and plastics directly sabotaged the human sperm’s swimming behaviour and caused them to prematurely release the critical enzymes needed to penetrate and fertilise the egg cell – which would render the sperm infertile.
In addition, they showed for the first time that there was a “cocktail effect,” when a number of chemicals worked together to amplify their individual effects. The researchers have also shown a direct link between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals from industrial products and adverse effects on human sperm function.
People ingest these chemicals every day either by consuming food and drink contaminated with them or by absorbing them through skin in personal-care products such as sunscreens and soaps. This study appears to open up a new dimension of potential effects of common lifestyle or environmental chemicals on male fertility. But what is the solution to get rid of this situation?
