Exposure to insecticides could affect men’s reproductive health

A research team coordinated by Melissa J. Perry, dean of the School of Public Health at George Mason University (USA), found that there is a strong association between exposure to insecticides and lower sperm concentration in men older than 18 years. The scientific team carried out an exhaustive systematic review of 25 research on the topic worldwide.

«This review is the most comprehensive to date, covering more than 25 years of research on male fertility and reproductive health. The available evidence has reached a point where we must take regulatory measures to reduce exposure to insecticides,” Perry emphasizes.

The new study reveals compelling evidence on the impacts of exposure to two widely used classes of insecticides on human reproductive health: organophosphates and those containing N-methyl carbamate. This result justifies the concern that the downward trends observed in semen quality demonstrated by previous studies have raised in public health.

“Understanding how insecticides affect sperm concentration in humans is critical given their ubiquity in the environment and documented reproductive risks. “Insecticides are a concern for public health and for all men, who are exposed mainly through the consumption of contaminated water and food,” says Lauren Ellis, a doctoral student at Northeastern University (USA), first author of the article, published this Wednesday in Environmental Health Perspectives. With RT

Related