The use of phthalates is one of the major causes.
We are exposed to phthalates because they are found in almost everything we use for different purposes.
Phthalates are chemicals that are primarily used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flexible and pliant, otherwise PVC is brittle.
Phthalates enter our bodies in different ways.
They can mix with food from vinyl materials, gloves used in cooking, and food packing materials.
Phthalates can also mingle with indoor air and household dust from vinyl flooring and wall coverings.
Many personal care products, such as colognes, shampoos, soaps, and perfumes also contain phthalates. With the use of these products, phthalates enter our bodies.
Because of the excessive use of the above-mentioned products, phthalates can be found in the body of both males and females.
Phthalates are transferred from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
Phthalates as a class are called anti-androgens. Phthalates tend to decrease testosterone wherever they meet them.
When they meet them in the womb, they alter the child’s anatomical development by lowering the testosterone. (This can lead to men developing smaller genitals [called phthalate syndrome]).
Fertility problems can start as early as in the womb and they certainly don’t stop there.
Then when the boy grows up, he will have a low sperm count. A man today has half the amount of sperm his grandfather had. Sperm count is the main indicator of a man’s fertility.
Moreover, later it can also increase the risk of testicular cancer, the effects of which on the body include infertility.
A study conducted in 2011 showed that the sperm concentration in western countries was 47 million per ml. But the amount was 99 million per ml in the same area 39 years earlier i.e. back in 1972. That’s a decline of more than one percent per year. And this predicted that by the year 2021, the sperm concentration would be below 40 million per ml. Below 40 million per ml means that it would be almost impossible for a couple to get pregnant.
This implies that we are on the verge of extinction.
The above discussion shows how we are making ourselves infertile.
