2023-11-16 15:43:47
Insecticide exposure is associated with lower sperm concentration in adult men globally. This is reflected in a systematic review of 25 studies, the most complete to date on this topic, which is published in the journal ‘Environmental Health Perspectives’.
‘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 consumption of contaminated water and food«says Lauren Ellis, a doctoral student at Northeastern University and a member of the team in charge of this research led by Melissa J. Perry, dean of the School of Public Health at George Mason University.
The team reviewed nearly 50 years of human evidence on the health impacts of exposure to two widely used classes of insecticides, organophosphates and N-methyl carbamates, and found consistent associations with lower sperm concentration. A worrying circumstance, taking into account the downward trends observed in semen quality demonstrated by other studies.
«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,” warns Dr. Perry, lead author of the article.
The team systematically reviewed 25 human studies of occupational and environmental insecticide exposure conducted over nearly 50 years. The meta-analysis revealed consistent evidence of strong associations between insecticide exposure and lower sperm concentration.
#insecticide #sperm