Sperm Health and the Chemical BPA

BPA is an ingredient commonly used to manufacture plastics and resin products. BPA's are currently used in a variety of plastic goods as well as to line metal cans, especially those which hold food and drink products such as canned fruit, vegetables and soda. BPA is also found in paper receipts as well as an entire host of other everyday products. Unfortunately, BPA is also a contaminant which has been associated with certain birth defects, most commonly those having to do with the reproductive systems of both men and women. Because the use of BPA's is so widespread, and because symptoms of decreased sperm health were found at extremely low exposure levels, this can be a serious concern for couples who are attempting to have a baby.

BPA and Your Hormones

While animal studies have consistently shown BPA to be a serious hormone disruptor, there were few studies done specifically on humans. However, a recent Chinese study followed over two hundred workers who were employed at an epoxy resin factory for five years. In that time regular urine samples were taken as well as sperm analysis which measured concentration, vitality, morphology, count and motility. Changes to human organs were noted, most especially in the quality and quantity of semen. In fact, the urine samples which held the highest concentrations of BPA were between three and five times as likely to have compromised sperm motility. The results of this study could give us solid scientific evidence as to why sperm counts have steadily been declining throughout the past few decades.

BPA's are not the only environmental toxin which can significantly affect sperm health and motility. Many such toxins are hormonal disruptors, meaning they can have serious effects on both men and women's reproductive systems. Most people think of environmental toxins as something that only those who work in a toxic environment would be exposed to, however many of these poisons are all around us, in our everyday lives. Alkylphenols are typically used in both industrial and domestic detergents, and is considered a pollutant which can affect fertility, as are dioxins, which are used in the production of paper. Some soya products contain phthalates, a known contaminant which is not only a hormonal disrupter but also a testicular toxin. The lacquer which is used to coat certain foods, as well as in dental treatments is a known body pollutant, and pesticides which are used on some cereals, soft fruits and cabbage (Lindane, DDT) are serious forms of hormonal disrupters. Many soya products also contain phytoestrogens which have been shown to be a hormone disrupter, possibly altering the makeup of a man's semen.

Estrogen

The world we live in today is full of environmental and dietary influences which can be unreceptive to the production of healthy sperm. While estrogen is important in the production of sperm, too much synthetic estrogen in the diet can be harmful. Studies show that most of the meat, dairy, poultry and eggs we presently consume contain significant quantities of these synthetic estrogens, and it has been found in many sources of drinking water as well. To the extent possible, you should attempt to eat hormone-free meat, dairy, poultry and eggs, and buy organic produce which is not sprayed with toxic pesticides. Saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, coconut, palm and cottonseed oil have been shown to contain a chemical which impedes the production of sperm, so using polyunsaturated oils is recommended. While it is impossible to completely stay away from BPA's or any number of other harmful environmental toxins, if your fertility is at issue, clean up your environmental chemicals as much as humanly possible.