Male Fertility May Be in Trouble: Testosterone and Sperm Counts Plummet
GMO foods could make it worse.
Testosterone deficiency is a serious health issue. It can lead to loss of stamina and lean muscle mass, reduced libido in both men and women, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Growing research also suggests low testosterone levels might be linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
Many of the herbicides and pesticides used in conventional farming are “environmental estrogens.” This means that their molecules mimic the activity of the human hormone estrogen, too much of which is not good for men or women; it also affects testosterone levels. Now GMO crops have likely exacerbated this problem. According to a recent animal study published in the journal Toxicology in Vitro, glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup, Monsanto’s widely used pesticide) often leaves a residue on Roundup Ready crops—and this can affect testosterone levels and men’s sperm counts. It is actually toxic to testicle cells, and significantly lowers testosterone synthesis.
In addition, GMOs themselves may cause infertility. In a brand new Russian study on hamsters, scientists observed that consumption of GM soybeans tended to slow their sexual maturation process and completely eliminated their ability to reproduce within just a few generations. An Austrian study uncovered similar infertility in third-generation mice that consumed GM corn.
Most people think of testosterone as being a men’s issue, but women also need it in lower levels.
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Every Day is Earth Day
2012-10-03 08:11:30
Source: http://www.riseearth.com/2012/10/male-fertility-may-be-in-trouble.html
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