Fertility decline in men linked to pollution in our homes

A new study by researchers at the University of Nottingham suggests that environmental contaminants in the home and in the diet have an adverse effect on fertility in both men and dogs.

Scientists have been increasingly concerned for some time about declining fertility in men. They claim that semen quality has declined by 50 percent over the past 80 years. on a global scale. It is not clear why this is happening. Teamoł research decided to look at dogs and see if our four-legged friendsoł there is a similar problem.

In 2016, the teamoł from the University of Notthingam found that semen quality psoat home has declined significantly over the past few decades. Scientists decided to see if any chemicals or foods could have an effect on the decline in semen quality. They were curious if it was possible to blame it on something wspolne in the four-legged environmentow and people.

New research indicates this may be the case. Two commonly used chemicals have been successfully identified, whichore had rown negatively affect male sperm as well as psow. – New research supports our theory that domestic dogs mirror the problem of declining male reproductive capacity – mowi Richard Lea, a biologist at the University of Nottingham.

The results of the study were published on „Scientific Reports”.

The study used probks of sperm from 11 men and 9 psoin living in the same neighborhood. Scientists have tested the impact of dwoch commonly used chemicalsow on sperm. One of them was the plasticizer DEPH, whichory is commonly used in carpets, rugs, clothing or toys. It can also penetrate food. The second agent tested is biphenyl 153 (PB153), widely used in the 1960s. i 70. Last century in the industry. Although it is no longer used, it has managed to contaminate the environment, in ktowe live in.

The researchers noted that zaroBoth male sperm and psow when these substances are applied to them, they become less mobile and there is increased DNA fragmentation. Although the study was conducted on a small group, scientists link it to earlier findings clearly indicating that the above substances are harmful to fertility in humans.

– We know that when sperm motilityow is low, then DNA fragmentation is increasing. This, in turn, leads to a decline in male fertility, explains study author Rebecca Sumner, a biologist at the University of Nottingham. – Now we have discovered that the same thing is happening to dogs, whoore exposed to the same compounds in human homes, they add.

Scientists believe that research on dogs can helpoc in response to a question, as pomoc men. First, because dogs are easier to control, so as to exclude the influence of other factorsoin e.g. inadequate diet. Secondly, because animal research is still less controversial than human research.