Study Finds Microplastics in Testicles, With Possible Fertility Effects
Microplastics are seemingly everywhere in our daily lives, and scientists are working to determine the potential effects they can have on our health. A new study illuminates the possible dangers to men's fertility that the tiny plastic particles pose.
The research, recently published in the Toxicological Sciences journal, looked at the presence of microplastics in both dog and human testes and examined their possible association with lower sperm count.
"The ubiquitous existence of microplastics and nanoplastics raises concerns about their potential impact on the human reproductive system," the authors explained in the study. "Limited data exists on microplastics within the human reproductive system and their potential consequences on sperm quality. Our objectives were to quantify and characterize the prevalence and composition of microplastics within both canine and human testes and investigate potential associations with the sperm count, and weights of testis and epididymis."
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The scientists studied 23 human testes and 47 testes from pet dogs. The human specimens were taken from postmortems conducted in 2016 and came from men ranging in age from 16 to 88 when they died, while they got the dog testes from vets' offices that collected them after neutering operations. In the end, the team found microplastics in all 70 samples, though the levels between each individual varied significantly.
"These findings highlight the pervasive presence of microplastics in the male reproductive system in both canine and human testes, with potential consequences on male fertility," the scientists wrote. Because the human testicles had been preserved, their sperm count could not be measured. They were able to determine sperm count in the dogs' testes, however, and found lower counts in samples with higher contamination with PVC.
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The study shows a possible correlation between the two, but more research needs to be done to prove that microplastics cause sperm counts to fall and exactly why that is.
"At the beginning, I doubted whether microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system," study co-author Xiaozhong Yu told The Guardian. "When I first received the results for dogs I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I received the results for humans." Especially worrying among the mens' testes was the apparent higher percentage of microplastics among younger men. "The impact on the younger generation might be more concerning," Yu said.
Lower sperm counts aren't exactly something new. In fact, sperm counts in men have been steadily declining for decades, with all kinds of studies pointing the finger at various causes from environmental toxins and chemical pollution like pesticides to poor diet and health management tactics. Sadly, these microscopic problems are seemingly here to stay.