Despite various advancements in every sector, one cannot regain the lost glory of good health and lifestyle experienced by our ancestors. The key difference between us and them is our ancestors lived in a natural environment, while we are surrounded by a polluted chemical environment. Nowadays, most of our conveniences often come with unseen costs that steal our way of healthy well-being. It’s not surprising when we hear or read lines where we consume chemicals directly or indirectly, thereby having profound detrimental effects on our body. Let us explore how such harmful chemicals disrupt the intricate processes of making fertility, from hormonal imbalances to direct damage to sperm.
Recently, male reproductive health is in crisis. Various research studies and news reports have showcased a steep decline in sperm count, quality, and testosterone levels that has raised alarm in society. Despite fertility being discussed in relation to various factors or attributes like age, lifestyle, stress, etc., there are a lot deeper factors that are often complex. Among them are the toxins – diverse hidden chemical agents that enter our bodies through everyday exposure thereby disrupting our vital biological processes.
Currently, we have come across microplastics—a vast range of synthetic substances that are formed through the degradation of larger plastic items that enter our bloodstream through various ways like inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, etc., interfering with critical biological systems. These microplastics are present everywhere around us—soil, water, and air. Unlike industrial pollutants, these agents also come from our daily routines: the food we eat, medications we take, and even the personal care products we trust. They can cross biological barriers and embed themselves in tissues. Recent studies pointed out that microplastics interfere with hormone production, impairing sperm production and quality, etc.
In addition to microplastics, certain chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and other compounds, etc., which are present in personal products—perfumes, hair care products, shaving products, etc.—have a negative impact on male reproductive health. These chemicals tend to damage cells directly by acting as endocrine disruptors, leading to low testosterone levels, reduced libido, altered sperm production, and developmental abnormalities in the reproductive organs.
Moreover, men who work in farming, construction sites, mining sites , manufacturing etc are exposed to harmful substances such as pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial solvents thereby posing a risk to their fertility levels.
Apart from that, there are other disruptive agents, such as pharmaceutical residues, which are present in substances like paracetamol, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory drugs and are now known to persist in the human body and in wastewater. When these are consumed in high amounts, they can have a profound impact on hormone levels or disrupt the hypothalamic- pituitary-gonadal axis, which governs reproductive function. Also these biochemical disruptors can lead to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, factors that not only affect fertility but also mental health and overall well-being.
On the whole, unlike traditional pollutants, these chemicals are considered to be subtle and embedded in our daily lives but have profound effects over time—by altering reproductive physiology and potentially disrupting fertility levels long before a man ever attempts to conceive. Additionally, exposure to such chemicals during certain milestones can lead to heritable changes in gene expression.
Hence, fertility challenges of today’s young men may not be limited to their own reproductive health but affect the health of whole future generations. It has become more of a private concern as it reflects broader patterns of biological stress, societal transformation, and unanticipated consequences of modern life. Finally, understanding male reproductive health requires a new kind of transformation with what is required to solve challenges from hidden biochemical agents to visible ailments. The goal here is to have clarity on recognizing chemicals we carry and to act wisely through informed choices, awareness and experts’ advice to reclaim control over our health in increasingly toxic world.
This article is authored by Dr. Krishna Chaitanya Mantravadi, Scientific Head and Clinical Embryologist, Oasis Fertility
