Plastic products are all around us. Researchers have found that phthalates, additives to plastic products to make them softer and pliable, decrease testosterone levels, and bisphenols, additives to plastics to make them harder, increase estrogen levels. Hormonal alterations can impact male fertility, and microplastics that are found in the body, byproducts of degraded plastics, impact the DNA integrity of sperm.
Dr. Parviz Kavoussi was interviewed on KVUE news to discuss the impacts of plastics on male fertility and ways to minimize this risk. Dr. Kavoussi states, “It is quite challenging considering that plastic products tend to surround us, but there are measures that can be taken to try to minimize exposure.”