Environmental factors, including pollution exposure and endocrine disruptors, can have significant impacts on male fertility.
Mechanisms of Impact:
Oxidative Stress: Environmental pollutants and endocrine disruptors can induce oxidative stress in the testes, leading to damage to sperm DNA and membranes.
Hormonal Disruption: Endocrine disruptors can alter hormone levels and disrupt the balance of reproductive hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), affecting sperm production and maturation.
Epigenetic Changes: Exposure to environmental factors during critical periods of development can induce epigenetic changes in sperm DNA, potentially impacting fertility and reproductive health in offspring. exposure to environmental pollutants and endocrine disruptors can adversely affect male fertility by disrupting hormone balance, inducing oxidative stress, and causing reproductive abnormalities. Minimizing exposure to these environmental contaminants through regulatory measures, lifestyle changes, and environmental management strategies is crucial for protecting male reproductive health.
Impact of environmental factors on human semen quality and male fertility: a narrative review | Environmental Sciences Europe | Full Text (springeropen.com)