3 Things that Destroy Sperm Health

A halved pomegranate sits on a gray background with almonds resembling sperm approaching it. The setup is humorous and creative.

In November I wrote about male factor infertility and recurrent miscarriage, and I received a lot of good feedback. For that reason, I decided to write about three specific things that are linked to sperm damage. Last time I discussed that being overweight, drinking alcohol, soda, and energy drinks, vaping, using tobacco, and low vitamin D levels are linked to issues with sperm. I also covered lifestyle and dietary choices that can improve sperm health. What I didn't cover are common environmental factors that contribute to sperm quality issues so I will cover those today.

As you already know about me, I am pretty crunchy. You also know about the dangers of xenoestrogens. But what you may not know is that I don't use chemicals. I make my own hand soap, I use essential oils to disinfect, and I avoid chemicals in household products as if there's an explosive inside the package. Luckily for my husband, I found a decent shave cream for purchase so I could stop experimenting on him with homemade versions. I ditched chemicals back in 2017 when one of our children started having medical problems that Western medicine couldn't find answers for. Over the years, more research has emerged to verify that my quasi-obsession with ridding my life of chemicals is legit. And because I care about human fertility (female and male), I spend a lot of time researching ones that affect it. Here are three that have been shown to damage sperm.

1)Parabens. Parabens are a group of chemicals that can be found in cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, and even baby wipes. Yes, baby wipes. Check those ingredients, folks. Some of the names to look for are ethylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben. You will see that they all end with "paraben." Parabens were invented in the 1920's and have been used ubiquitously in America since that time because they serve as preservatives. 5 parabens known to cause reproductive problems are banned throughout Europe, Canada, and many countries in Asia, but are still legal in the United States. Word is out though as many companies are using marketing terms like "No Parabens" on packaging due to customer demand. Despite this, parabens are still widely used in the US.

Studies are linking parabens to cancer. Additionally, they are xenoestrogens - those pesky chemicals that cause estrogen imbalances. While the FDA considers parabens safe for cosmetics (which it defines as "articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body...for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance"), it fails to recognize that rubbing, pouring, sprinkling, and spraying things onto human skin causes those things to be absorbed into the skin. Our skin is like a giant sponge. Anything you put on the outside gets sucked into the inside. Several studies show that parabens cause decreased sperm motility, count and viability, and cause sperm DNA damage as well as mitochondrial damage. Some studies also reveal that the longer the exposure to parabens, the more damage is done. A special note about parabens: some vaginal lubricants contain parabens and because sperm can live 3 to 5 days in the cervical crypts, vaginal lubricants containing parabens that are used during intercourse could expose sperm to those parabens during that time.

2)Bisphenols. Another class of chemical to be aware of are bisphenols. Bisphenols are a class of chemical used to make plastics. These chemicals are used in everything from water bottles, food lining, food storage containers, canned food cans, and other packaging. European countries, Canada, Austria, Sweden, and China have banned or severely restricted the use of Bisphenols while the United States has only recently banned its use only in baby bottles, sippy cups, and formula can lining. A handful of states have further regulated it in food and containers used for children. Bisphenols were developed in the 1890's (I got that right... 1890's), and were widely used commercially by the 1950's.

The most famous bisphenol, Bisphenol-A (BPA), was discovered to be a endocrine disrupter (read xenoestrogen) in 1930. Additionally, bisphenols are linked to some cancers, learning disabilities in children, metabolic diseases, and, of course, reproductive problems. Bisphenols, especially BPA, cause oxidative stress (AKA cell damage) in sperm, sperm DNA damage, impaired spermatogenesis, and decreased motility.

3)Glyphosate. Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is an herbicide (weed killer) and pesticide (bug killer) developed in 1950. In 1971, Monsanto began using it commercially as a weed killer. It is now the most commonly used herbicide and pesticide in the US. It is used in commercial farming and for home use. Glyphosate is banned or severely limited in Germany, Mexico, Vietnam, Argentina, Canada, Australia, Italy, and more. Unfortunately, glyphosate is found on non-organic fruits and vegetables as well as in drinking water.

The World Health Organization classifies it as "Probably Carcinogenic" to humans. Controversies abound regarding glyphosate and celiac disease, autism, and gut permeability. I'm sure you've guessed it, but glyphosate is an endocrine disrupter (xenoestrogen). Its negative effects on development during puberty, testosterone, and estrogen are evidenced in many studies. Studies have found that glyphosate is particularly bad for sperm. It is linked to decreased sperm count, motility, and viability.

You might be asking, if these chemicals are everywhere, how do I avoid them. Consider investing in a Reverse Osmosis system for your drinking water. Our family has one and it costs about $20 a month. Reverse Osmosis is currently the best way to rid your drinking water of many chemicals. The other way to avoid them is to stop buying products that contain them. The Environmental Working Group has a handy resource that allows you to look up cosmetics and household cleaning products to determine their toxicity load. Additionally, you can stop using plastic. I know that's easier said than done, but you can begin working towards it. A while back we swore off plastic bottles. We purchased refillable glass and metal bottles. We also got rid of all plastic storage containers. We have glass for leftovers and metal for lunches. As a bonus, I have found that we waste less food in the glass containers because we can see what is in the fridge. If possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables. If you can't afford it (I know we can't), do your best to wash any produce before eating it so you can reduce the amount of glyphosate. The Environmental Working Group also publishes a list each year of the produce with the most chemicals on it. It's called the Dirty Dozen. If you can afford to buy some things organic, stick to the produce on this list. They also publish a Clean Fifteen list that has the fifteen least chemically laden fruits and vegetables. Lastly, and a biggy, is get digital receipts. Receipts have one of the highest concentrations of BPA and touching them causes the chemicals to absorb into your skin. Ridding your life of chemicals is a baby-step process. Doing just a little at a time will result in a lot over time. Here's wishing you a low-chemical new year!

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3 Things that Destroy Sperm Health

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