Global sperm counts have dropped by about 50% over the last 50 years
Pesticides negatively affect male reproductive and fertility abilities
Excessive mobile phone use is also a contributing factor to the decline
A recent study has found that the global sperm count in men has decreased by approximately 50% over the past 50 years, and this decline could be due to pesticides present in our food.
According to major foreign media reports on the 15th (local time), a research team led by Melissa Perry, Dean of the School of Public Health at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, stated, “While there may be multiple factors contributing to the decrease in sperm count, we are reporting a strong association with the presence of organophosphates and N-methyl carbamates, pesticides that remain in the food we consume.”
The researchers published the results of this study in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal on the same day.
Manufacturers use organophosphates worldwide as key components in nerve gases, herbicides, and pesticides and manufacture plastics and solvents. Professor Perry says, ‘People are widely exposed to organophosphates.’
Also, they use N-methyl carbamates, which damage the brain and nervous system to kill insects, in producing pesticides for various crops, fruits, and vegetables.”
In response to these findings, Professor Alexandre Pastuchak of the Department of Surgery and Urology at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine said, “These pesticides can negatively affect fertility, particularly male reproductive ability.”
Researchers have also identified frequent cell phone use as a cause of decreased sperm count
In other studies, researchers have also pinpointed ‘frequent mobile phone use’ as a cause of decreased sperm count.
Research conducted by the University of Geneva and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, which surveyed 2,886 men aged 18-22 from 2005 to 2018, found that those who used their mobile phones more than 20 times a day were 21% more likely to have issues with their sperm count compared to those who used their phones less frequently.
Even among the group who reported regular mobile phone use, the likelihood of demonstrating a sperm concentration lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard increased by 30%.
The researchers conducting this study explain, “Not keeping mobile phones in pockets or near the lower body can reduce the impact on sperm.”
By. Jeong Gogi
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