Modern human society uses many risky chemical compounds in everyday life and production. Many of them have serious side-effects on environment and human health. Among the synthetic chemicals used in industry and agriculture there are some influencing human and animal fertility. These are the so called endocrine disruptors. One of them is a weed killer (herbicide), the atrazine of which was proven to be able to transform male frogs into females.
Unfortunately, there is a tendency that human fertility at population level decreases continually.
Here you can find some publications on this subject:
http://www.endocrineconnections.com/content/2/3/R15.full.pdf
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/10/4612.full
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/250na3.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/Atrazine_summary.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/meetings/2003/june/finaljune2002telconfreport.pdf
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/Atrazine.pdf
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/atrazine-08-27-2009.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/weed-killer-causes-male-frogs-to-lay-eggs-1.890082
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2011/2011-1123atrazine-tied-to-menstrual-irregularities
What is your opinion about this issue which may impact the life of new generations and the future of many living beings?
Dear Andras Bozsik.
I quote your interesting statement, "the atrazine of which was proven to be able to transform male frogs into females". What that can do humans? this is quite amazing.
Does it suggest that an increase in "unhabitual" or unnatural human behaviors incidence is related to those harmful synthetic chemicals?
I guess from those published papers, the suggestion is more a reality than just a speculation.
The diet is also linked to that, thus organic food diet is the need of the hour.
Industrial farming activities have been pressurized by the global competition for more production. Usage of all those synthetic chemicals for pest control, fertilizers for higher yield did not care for the quality factor at all.
I know industrial farmers in the Caribbeans admitting to me that what we sold to the public, is not given to our own family and children, we have our own lot for our personal consumption.
So the food daily eaten is merely a part of hazards that slowly destroy us...
This is something serious enough to worry about indeed.
Thanks
Pierre (French island of Martinique near Miami Florida)
Dear Artis,
I know very well the demography data of Latvia as well as those of Hungary. Not only the present ones but also the forecasting.
You can be satisfied, pesticides do not select…
Cher Pierre,
J’ai peur que many of us will wait until men will turn into women…
Dear Abdalla,
Many thanks for your comprehensive contribution. When teaching agricultural entomology and biological control I have lectures on the critique of the traditional (=modern) agriculture and the side-effects of pesticides and other pollutants.
I show always the data you indicated here (“human sperm counts had fallen by nearly 50% in less than 50 years – low sperm counts are a major cause of male infertility”) which was presented – I think – by Danish researchers.
I hope your mini essay will help RG folk to recognise things as they are.
I would not be that worried if human fertility decreases continually, under two provisos: 1) that the curve might find an end at some point; 2) that it is for cultural reasons, and not due to fertilizers and chemicals.
Let me please point to this: the current problem lies not so much in the over-size of population, but on the inequity, violence and exclusion.
Now, of course the danger about chemicals is real, and should not be undervalued. Contamination and pollution of all kinds - including chemicals - is a real challenge for the survival of humanity. No question about this.
Dear Kamal,
Many thanks for your explanation as well as using your general expertise and horizon as a physician.
Dear Carlos,
Considering the continually increasing human population growth which is still exponential and the innate capacity of increase in many countries as high as it is, you may be right at population level. However, regarding an individual who suffers from infertility this is a catastrophe.
Dear All,
Regarding opinion and experience of related scientists participated in this thread as well as specific publications, main reasons of proved male infertility are sperm problems. Unfortunately , the major cause of sperm troubles may be the chemical pollution and among pollutants endocrine disruptors can have a central role.
I am really worried because of human infertility, There are many reasons for the increase in its rate. As you said Andras that the major cause of sperm troubles may be the chemical pollution and among pollutants endocrine disruptors can have a central role. In addition to the reason said above, we should not forget the victims of car accidents.
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