Falling sperm counts, declining egg quality, and endocrine disruptors(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Falling sperm counts, declining egg quality, and endocrine disruptors
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/20/opinion/sunday/endocrine-disruptors-sperm.html
601 comments
> Store food in glass containers, not plastic. Above all, don’t microwave foods in plastic or with plastic wrap on top. Avoid pesticides. Buy organic produce if possible. Avoid tobacco or marijuana. Use a cotton or linen shower curtain, not one made of vinyl. Don’t use air fresheners. Prevent dust buildup. Vet consumer products you use with an online guide like that of the Environmental Working Group.
I really want to do this, but it seems impossibly hard. For example, almost all the food I buy is in plastic containers.
I really want to do this, but it seems impossibly hard. For example, almost all the food I buy is in plastic containers.
This is the most important part of the essay:
https://www.gwern.net/Causality
There are a lot of other possible causes for all the these declines. (obesity and lower physical activity being only the most likely-seeming to me)
Uncertainty remains, research sometimes conflicts and biological pathways aren’t always clear. There are competing theories about whether the sperm count decline is real and what might cause it and about why girls appear to be reaching puberty earlier, and it’s sometimes unclear whether an increase in male genital abnormalities reflects actual rising numbers or just better reporting.
https://www.gwern.net/Causality
There are a lot of other possible causes for all the these declines. (obesity and lower physical activity being only the most likely-seeming to me)
Would it be... unreasonable... to point out that the fall in sperm quality, egg quality, and overall hormonal disruption is happening concurrent with a blurring of overall gender identification, predominantly in the youngest generation?
Identification as trans or other non-binary status is incredibly high among the gen-z cohort. Might be unrelated social upheaval, but would anyone really be surprised if we weren't accidentally hormonally poisoning children at the same time they are developing their own gender identities?
Identification as trans or other non-binary status is incredibly high among the gen-z cohort. Might be unrelated social upheaval, but would anyone really be surprised if we weren't accidentally hormonally poisoning children at the same time they are developing their own gender identities?
Related:
"Chemicals in plastics damage babies' brains and must be banned immediately (cnn.com)"
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26211605
"Chemicals in plastics damage babies' brains and must be banned immediately (cnn.com)"
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26211605
As someone who has had to do IVF for our child and go through the challenge of figuring our what to do to try and improve sperm quality, I can tell you once you start looking into it, basically everything about modern life is bad for sperm. Heat, radiation, plastic, micro plastics, soya, tap water, Teflon, antibacterial soap, underpants, western diet. It’s a perfect storm.
If you’re going though it though I offer a ray of hope that it was possible to sufficiently avoid these things, at least temporarily, and it made a very large difference (4X better within 6 months) and resulted in a now 3 year old child.
If you’re going though it though I offer a ray of hope that it was possible to sufficiently avoid these things, at least temporarily, and it made a very large difference (4X better within 6 months) and resulted in a now 3 year old child.
And what are the behavioral effects of such large physiological changes en masse? Surely neurochemical changes will manifest everywhere, from mental health to politics
Correct me if I'm wrong but being overweight or obese is an endocrine disruptor. Such conditions exist in what ~50%+ of USA adults. Worse there are children growing up who are effectively unhealthy from age 5 forward.
Add in other disruptors (e.g., chemicals) and naturally there are going to be problems; problems despite the narrative, are not due to the healthcare system.
Add in other disruptors (e.g., chemicals) and naturally there are going to be problems; problems despite the narrative, are not due to the healthcare system.
Can these endocrine disruptors also contribute to gender dysphoria?
I followed this girl on youtube that built a tiny house in the mountains. She carries her own water, makes bread from wheat she mills, makes her own hummus and cabbage and eats copious amounts of each and vegetables. Hardly has phone/internet service because she lives in a mountain valley. Plays music with friends, reads and does yoga for entertainment.
Surprise, surprise. You are your habits! She looks very fit and healthy. I'm not advocating for traditionalism, but more like, optimizing your habits.
The simple basic, inexpensive things she does, and eats are pretty optimized for health and personal growth.
Isabel's Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4cght8xNnI
The simple basic, inexpensive things she does, and eats are pretty optimized for health and personal growth.
Isabel's Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4cght8xNnI
Some time ago I realized that modern life wasn't that good for your health so last year I bought a farm on the country side with my gf and now we are trying to grow our own food and make our way into a more self-sustainable life.
We see similar things happening with digestive diseases between the West and Asia. Diverticulitis is pretty rare in Asia (and Africa for that matter) and fairly common in the West. But what’s interesting is that it is just as common for Asians that move to the West after about 12 years or so which rules out genetics. Additionally we are seeing it occur in younger and younger people. This was once a disease for ages 60+ and now it’s not uncommon to find it in people in their 40’s and 30’s and occasionally their 20’s now!
It’s assumed the types of foods more common in a Western diet are the cause of this but there isn’t concrete proof. It’s a strong hypothesis though.
It’s thought the main cause is foliage ingestion, or lack of. People in Asia and Africa eat a lot more plants which are high in fiber.
So I don’t think it’s just obesity and being overweight that are the issue but how we get obese and overweight and I believe that all this, from infertility to early onset of digestive diseases are related in large part to our diets.
It’s assumed the types of foods more common in a Western diet are the cause of this but there isn’t concrete proof. It’s a strong hypothesis though.
It’s thought the main cause is foliage ingestion, or lack of. People in Asia and Africa eat a lot more plants which are high in fiber.
So I don’t think it’s just obesity and being overweight that are the issue but how we get obese and overweight and I believe that all this, from infertility to early onset of digestive diseases are related in large part to our diets.
On this topic I can recommend the dystopian movie “Children of Men”. It’s about modern world of basically our time where nobody can get children and what issues arise.
Shoddy endogenous androgen production in men is likely a function of excess adipose tissue causing higher rates of aromatization of T to estrogen
Being overweight or obese makes it more difficult to lose weight and put on muscle, a feedback loop
Clean diet and regular exercise goes a very long way, but nutrient deficient soil is making micro-nutrient deficiencies more difficult to resolve. Anecdotally, eating a whole foods diet consistent of high quality protein usually sourced from local farms (I'm in rural upstate NY), I still find myself needing to supplement magnesium, zinc, D3 and K2.
Being overweight or obese makes it more difficult to lose weight and put on muscle, a feedback loop
Clean diet and regular exercise goes a very long way, but nutrient deficient soil is making micro-nutrient deficiencies more difficult to resolve. Anecdotally, eating a whole foods diet consistent of high quality protein usually sourced from local farms (I'm in rural upstate NY), I still find myself needing to supplement magnesium, zinc, D3 and K2.
A friend of mine is working on a supplement that may help in this regard, at least on the female part of the equation.
> There is a a very interesting substance that could also increase fertility: nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).
https://novoslabs.com/can-nmn-supplements-restore-fertility/
(Disclaimer: I've invested in his company)
> There is a a very interesting substance that could also increase fertility: nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).
https://novoslabs.com/can-nmn-supplements-restore-fertility/
(Disclaimer: I've invested in his company)
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Generations of low dietary fat, franken-foods and just eating garbage. Plastics, it's all part of it.
I don't have any data but I wonder if stuff like this will affect the gene pool. If the cause is environmental then it shouldnt have an affect. But genes are weird considering epigenetics.
Almost like the the movie 'Children of men'
Almost like the the movie 'Children of men'
As a scientist I hate articles like this. Apparently putting the word “may” in the title allows one to pontificate wildly about what might be the cause of falling sperm rates and other reproductive trends.
Little to no comments about other possible causes, no data that shows a relationship between “endocrine disruptors” and sperm counts, no comments about levels of these chemicals in the population or what levels they become active at.
After reading the article all I can firmly conclude is: 1) reproductive changes are happening, 2) endocrine disruptors are suspected, but there is no direct evidence.
Not very helpful.
Little to no comments about other possible causes, no data that shows a relationship between “endocrine disruptors” and sperm counts, no comments about levels of these chemicals in the population or what levels they become active at.
After reading the article all I can firmly conclude is: 1) reproductive changes are happening, 2) endocrine disruptors are suspected, but there is no direct evidence.
Not very helpful.
My dad (professor at University of Arizona) interviewed Shanna Swan, a scientist profiled in this article, recently. Anyone interested can find the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reproductive-health-sh...
https://www.givelegacy.com/ is helping men protect their fertility.
The biggest source of endocrine disruptors are plants. It's as simple as that. And they're all natural to top it all off.
Please add this to the column of "things evil right wing twitter anons were investigating years beforehand", so you can update your estimates of their future credibility.
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Is this really so bad? Assuming humans are hit the hardest, the planet will be better off.
Obviously we wouldn't want it to kill our civilization, but for the mean time, it doesn't sound so bad with less homo sapiens
Obviously we wouldn't want it to kill our civilization, but for the mean time, it doesn't sound so bad with less homo sapiens
The biggest source of endocrine disruptors are plants
something something Alex Jones something something
//edit// This is semi-facetious, but he did mention something similar in his, er, unique fashion.
//edit// This is semi-facetious, but he did mention something similar in his, er, unique fashion.
Related: http://vhemt.org/
(one of the oldest websites on this here internet, as well.)
(one of the oldest websites on this here internet, as well.)
I think of it as evolution.
Over the years there have many reports from cleaners to plasticizers, phthalates, and various other chemicals as endocrine disruptors but no one has put a sufficient measure on the problem so that we can move foreword - put regulations in place, etc.
As the article points out, what is so problematic is that many of the chemicals that are under suspicion are ubiquitous and not easily avoided.
I consider it important that we act quickly for not only public health reasons but also the fact that we're living in an increasingly chemical-phobic society and worrying the public without solid evidence isn't helpful to anybody.
We need need more research on this urgently.
Afterthought: it is essential that we have solid evidence ASAP as billions of dollars are tied up in the plastics industry. Plastics already cause environmental problems (and I constantly curse the fact that I have to get rid of so much waste plastic) but there's no point deliberately alienating the plastics industry without good cause.