You likely encounter endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) every day \u2014 in your diet, products you use, and even the water you drink and the air you breathe. Unfortunately, exposure to endocrine disruptors may have negative effects on your fertility. We\u2019ll look into common endocrine disruptors, EDCs and male fertility, and ways you can reduce your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Endocrine disrupting chemicals, also simply called endocrine disruptors, are chemicals that negatively impact the endocrine, or hormone, system in your body. This system is made up of glands that regulate all the hormones that control bodily processes, including brain development, metabolism, and reproduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some endocrine disruptors are \u201chormone mimics,\u201d meaning that they can trick the human body into thinking they\u2019re natural hormones. Other EDCs block natural hormones from doing their jobs, or change the body\u2019s reaction to hormones. Still others can affect hormone levels in the blood by affecting how hormones are made, stored, or broken down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can be exposed to multiple endocrine disruptors at once, through diet, products, and environmental sources, potentially harming our health. Research<\/a> indicates that endocrine disruptors may negatively affect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Endocrine disruptors<\/a> can be natural or man-made. You may be exposed to them through everything from your diet to the air to products you use. See this common endocrine disruptors list for places you may encounter each chemical in your everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since sperm production is driven by male fertility hormones<\/a> and is directly connected to the endocrine system, you may be wondering: How do endocrine disruptors affect men, and male fertility?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have strong evidence to suggest that there\u2019s been a global drop in average sperm count \u2014 over 50% since the 1970s \u2014 along with changes to sperm health and testosterone levels. Many experts believe that EDC exposure is the primary cause of lower sperm counts and reduced male fertility over the past 50 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since many EDCs are typically present in our environments, it\u2019s sometimes difficult to narrow down which may be causing adverse effects, and studies are ongoing. So far, research suggests that specific endocrine disruptors may affect male fertility in several ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2015 study<\/a> found that high concentrations of BPA in the body were associated with reduced sperm motility and altered sperm function, and impaired fertilization and development of the embryo. Research from 2020<\/a> indicated that people with occupational exposure to BPA \u2014 such as people who work in plastics manufacturing \u2014 had worse sperm counts, viability, and motility compared to those who weren\u2019t exposed to BPA through their work. More studies are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BPS is often marketed as being safer than BPA, and can be included in some \u201cBPA free\u201d plastics. However, a study<\/a> by Legacy CMO Dr. Ramy Abou Ghayda linked higher urinary BPS concentrations to lower semen parameters, particularly among overweight and obese men. This may be because endocrine-disrupting chemicals can be stored in fat cells long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One common phthalate, diethyl phthalate (DEHP), may lead to<\/a> higher levels of sperm DNA damage and sperm death. It\u2019s also been tied to reduced sperm motility and lower levels of the reproductive hormones testosterone and estradiol. According to one review<\/a>, the \u201cmajority of human data showed the connection of increased level of phthalates in urine and [decreased] sperm quality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the EPA, despite no longer being used in many applications, PFAS are still found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment. Because they break down so slowly, some experts call them \u201cforever chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A review of research<\/a> indicated that these substances may be linked to abnormal sperm morphology and lower testosterone levels, but more research with consistent results is needed. As PFAS used to be used in firefighting foam, they may contribute to the poorer semen parameters found among firefighters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2017 study<\/a> found triclosan in 84.13% of urine samples from men at a reproductive health clinic, compared to about 75% of the general population (according to the CDC<\/a>). While the participants had normal sperm concentrations, this study found that higher levels of triclosan in urine were associated with increased abnormal sperm morphology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike some more common endocrine disruptors, perchlorate\u2019s effect on sperm health has not been widely studied. A study<\/a> in rats found that perchlorate exposure increased sperm abnormalities and sperm death during sperm production. More studies in humans are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The effect of the phytoestrogens in soy, specifically, on male health has been the subject of lots of discussion. But research is fairly inconclusive, and most doesn\u2019t find that soy consumption has a significant impact on male fertility. Remember, phytoestrogens are highly concentrated in soy, but they\u2019re actually found in most fruits, vegetables, and legumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> that examined phytoestrogen concentrations in urine found that the phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein were associated with abnormal sperm morphology. However, there appeared to be no impact on the fertility of couples in the study. And in many studies of nutrition and male fertility, those who follow a vegetarian diet \u2014 which generally tends to be higher in soy \u2014 have healthier sperm, overall, than those who eat a meat-heavy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about soy and male fertility<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exposure to chlorpyrifos, a pesticide, is less common unless you work in the agricultural industry. However, you may also be exposed if you live near farmlands or eat unwashed produce that was treated with chlorpyrifos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research<\/a> in mice found that exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos reduced sperm motility and density and lowered fertility. More research in people needs to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> that investigated glyphosate\u2019s effect on sperm in vitro<\/em> found that semen samples treated with glyphosate (at an amount above normal environmental exposure) had lower motility compared to the control group. However, sperm DNA was not affected after one hour of exposure. More research is needed in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research<\/a> indicates that exposure to lead may lower sperm counts and motility while increasing abnormal morphology and harming sperm DNA. It may lead to reduced fertility and higher chances of miscarriage and preterm birth. One study<\/a> found that even low-level lead exposure was associated with reduced semen quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With EDCs present in so many products, it may feel unfeasible to keep endocrine disruptors from affecting your sperm count. And to some extent, that\u2019s true \u2014 it\u2019s nearly impossible, in the modern world, to completely eliminate EDCs from your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it is<\/strong> possible to reduce your exposure. A research review from 2022<\/a> found that 11 of the 13 intervention studies it examined showed large changes in EDC concentrations as a result of the interventions \u2014 which were actions as simple as changing their diets or swapping out personal or household products. In one of the studies<\/a>, just three days of eating fresh foods that used limited packaging was linked to lower BPA and phthalate exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some steps you can take to lower your exposure to EDCs: <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s not possible for most people to do everything on this list. However, taking action in a few areas may significantly reduce your exposure to EDCs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many lifestyle changes<\/a> you can make to improve your sperm health, but here we\u2019ll focus on specific ways to help counteract the effects of EDCs on your fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EDCs like BPA appear to increase oxidative stress, which can cause testicular damage and reduced semen parameters. Antioxidants may help improve fertility by counteracting free radicals and preventing oxidative stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supplements that may help reduce EDC damage to sperm health include: Much of this research has been done in animals, so studies in humans are still needed to confirm these supplements\u2019 effects. Remember to ask your doctor before starting a new supplement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking to improve your fertility, start with an at-home semen analysis<\/a> to understand your baseline sperm health. Then consider reducing your exposure to EDCs, trying supplements<\/a>, and making other positive lifestyle changes to improve and preserve your fertility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let’s look into common endocrine disruptors, EDCs and male fertility, and ways you can reduce your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":12199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% %%sep%% %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"Let's look into common endocrine disruptors, EDCs and male fertility, and ways you can reduce your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[199,8,28,18,134,35],"tags":[197,51,220,221,189,55],"class_list":["post-12197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environmental","category-science","category-hormone-health","category-improving-sperm-health","category-lifestyle","category-understanding-male-health","tag-chemical-exposure","tag-endocrine-disruptors","tag-environment","tag-environmental-health","tag-hormones","tag-toxin-exposure"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12197"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12197"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45656,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12197\/revisions\/45656"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Common endocrine-disrupting chemicals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Endocrine disruptors in everyday products <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Endocrine disruptors in your diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Endocrine disruptors in the environment <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How EDCs affect male fertility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bisphenol A (BPA) and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bisphenol S (BPS) and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Phthalates and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
PFAS and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Triclosan and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Perchlorate and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Phytoestrogens and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Chlorpyrifos and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Glyphosate and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lead and male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to reduce exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nHow to improve your sperm health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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