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Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

scientificamerican.com

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Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#141

Post by wonderwonder »

ak39 wrote: post #131
wonderwonder wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Want an interesting read? Go to your city water providers website and read up on all the pollutants they are over recommended levels on. Then look at the pollutants they are over the legal limit on. We assume that the water in our taps is safe to drink but there are often a myriad of tests that our utility companies are failing. For example, I live in a relatively well to do suburb and my utility is over the recommen…

That's disturbing indeed. What's the best approach to replacing drinking water to avoid all of this?

I think the best you can do in regards to tap water is some kind of filter. Effectiveness probably improves with cost.

I have recently switched to getting 5 gallon water jugs delivered. Costs me about $60 per month. Not an optimal solution but I have no other real cure.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#142

Post by jxramos »

cameldrv wrote: post #75
mgberlin wrote: post #15

I've personally become concerned recently with the abundance of BPA and it's effect on the endocrine system of men. Between disposable water bottles, aluminum can liners, and food stored in plastic containers, there's a huge amount of exposure to this endocrine disruptor. The article doesn't mention it in particular, but I think it's worth being cautious over.

If you're specifically worried about BPA, perhaps a larger exposure is handling cash register receipts. Don't take em if you don't need em, and wash your hands before you eat anything if you do need to handle them.

whoa, I never thought about chemical contact from receipts. Would love to see things go the way of Square where my itemized receipt is just emailed to me.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#143

Post by gozur88 »

jlebrech wrote: post #24
jordache wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah right.. evolution observed in the tiny span of time that is recorded modern science?

genetics doesn't have to observe anything for millions of years to observe to results of evolution.

There was an article linked on HN awhile back about getting bacteria to evolve resistance to antibiotics in just a few days.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#144

Post by jxramos »

debacle wrote: post #139

It would be interesting to see a study that compares the drop in sperm count to the drop in testosterone, to see if the drop is statistically significant or just a symptom of the drop in testosterone.

I just had some funny dark humor thought that men today and increasingly moving forward on average just ain't as manly as those of the past.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#145

Post by ncallaway »

wonderwonder wrote: post #141
ak39 wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's disturbing indeed. What's the best approach to replacing drinking water to avoid all of this?

I think the best you can do in regards to tap water is some kind of filter. Effectiveness probably improves with cost. I have recently switched to getting 5 gallon water jugs delivered. Costs me about $60 per month. Not an optimal solution but I have no other real cure.

How do to test and validate the quality of the delivered bottled water?

My understanding – and it's a shallow understanding – was that bottled water was less regulated and monitored than tap water. Is there a source you can use to get the testing done on the bottled water you're having delivered?

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#146

Post by mrob »

AstralStorm wrote: post #106
jostmey wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I put the word "chemicals" in quotation marks because, of course, everything is a chemical. I just wanted to point out that we shouldn't pick just one chemical (e.g. BPA) and heap all the blame onto it. As a society, we have to be concerned about the potential dangers of every synthetic chemical

If it is some sort of chemical, it was introduced around 70s (later than most plastics) and is still in widespread and increasing use. Few such targets.

BPA in plastics is polymerized, but BPA in thermal paper is free molecules, which are easier absorbed. Thermal paper didn't become widespread until the 70s, so BPA is still a possible candidate.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#147

Post by bitL »

cameldrv wrote: post #72

My belief is that the primary cause is environmental chemicals, specifically Phthalates and BPA (and related chemicals). The science on this is fairly conclusive. We can show that these chemicals bind to estrogen receptors, that they're present in everyone's body, and that if you're acutely exposed to a higher dose, your testosterone goes down. In my opinion, these chemicals are having social and cultural effects bey…

Alright, so what should we do? Should we daily take DHEA/GABA/Zinc etc. to compensate effect of these chemicals? Eat only food we grow/kill ourselves? Move to mountains shielded from airborne pollution?

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#148

Post by manmal »

AstralStorm wrote: post #128
manmal wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the alternative is.. taking estrogen blockers?

Especially dosing boys with them. /s You have no idea what kind of harm this could do, BPA being the least of the worries in that case.

Bodybuilders often take estrogen blockers (eg Indol-3-Carbinol), they don't seem to share your concerns.

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#149

Post by Chris2048 »

Passthepeas wrote: post #80
themodelplumber wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno. Just on the face of what you're saying, it's probably worth pointing out that dogs also spend a lot of time around devices used by humans. So what about e.g. wild dogs?

laptops can make your balls overheat and cause problems, I remember that being an actual problem.

My dog won't use a laptop

Re: Sperm Count Dropping in Western World

#150

Post by anigbrowl »

dekhn wrote: post #74
cameldrv wrote: post #72

My belief is that the primary cause is environmental chemicals, specifically Phthalates and BPA (and related chemicals). The science on this is fairly conclusive. We can show that these chemicals bind to estrogen receptors, that they're present in everyone's body, and that if you're acutely exposed to a higher dose, your testosterone goes down. In my opinion, these chemicals are having social and cultural effects bey…

The linkage between consumption of these chemicals, and their exact nature of harm, is not well established- it's not "fairly conclusive" at all. What we have is a bunch of in vitro and in vivo studies, but not actual epidemiological evidence of the quality required to make rational policy decisions. If you believe otherwise, I'm happy to ready any high quality studies you can find. Pleaes don't just cherry pick a fe…

That sounds like an excellent reason to throw a lot of money at doing epidemiological studies then, doesn't it? I must say I'm very tired of naysayers with no positive proposals of their own who invoke the scientific method as a way of waving away problematics rather than engaging with their evaluation or mitigation.
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