Hormone-Mimicking Chemicals May Threaten Male Fertility
A couple’s decision to try and have children is one of the most exciting choices a happy couple will make during their lifetime. Thanks to a new study though, the prospects of having children could prove to be problematic for some couples. Molecular biologist Pat Hunt of Washington State University and her co-author released a new study last week that showed “more and more guys…have low and troubling sperm counts". The study cites Bisphenol A (BPA) and other “estrogen-mimicking “chemicals as the cause of the low sperm counts. BPA can be found in everyday products such as soap, toothpaste, and even children’s toys. Hunt’s research showed that even limited exposure to BPA immediately after birth “increased the errors made by a male mouse's testis when it began to produce sperm” leading to a lower sperm count. Furthermore, the low sperm count persisted throughout the adult life of the mice. Though the American Chemistry Council was skeptical of Hunt’s findings, stating that prior studies have shown “no reproductive effects in males or females at any dose remotely close to the levels of BPA to which people are actually exposed.” Hunt however remains confident in her team’s findings, countering that “it's actually not clear how often or to what extent humans are exposed to BPA in the real world.” What is clear though is that it’s as important as ever as current and future parents to pay close attention to the chemicals we are putting into our bodies on a daily basis.
For more on the study completed Pat Hunt and her team, click the link: http://huff.to/15wfZfA