|
 Researchers examined lab tests done on 315 male patients of a
fertility clinic in Poland to pinpoint issues they were having with
reproduction. All of the men provided samples of urine, saliva,
blood and semen for analysis.
Compared to men who had low concentrations of parabens in their
urine, men with high concentrations of the chemicals also had a
larger proportion of sperm with what’s known as abnormal morphology,
or unusual size or shape, that’s associated with infertility, the
study found.
Higher levels of parabens in the urine were also associated with DNA
damage in the sperm and what’s known as decreased motility, or
slower moving sperm that may contribute to infertility by being
unable to travel far enough to reach an egg.
“We have observed an impact of parabens on semen quality,” said lead
study author Joanna Jurewicz of the Nofer Institute of Occupational
Medicine in Lodz.
“To avoid parabens is very difficult because they are widespread,
but we can try to minimize the exposure by only using personal care
products with label information saying that there are no parabens in
the particular product,” Jurewicz said by email.
Parabens are widely used preservatives in cosmetic products,
including soaps, creams and makeup. The most common parabens in
cosmetics are methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben.
Typically, several parabens are used in combination to increase
their effectiveness.
Some parabens are banned from cosmetics in the European Union, but
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not limited use of the
ingredients.
Past research in animals has suggested that parabens can mimic the
hormone estrogen and lower testosterone levels, the authors note in
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Parabens and other so-called hormone disruptors may have
developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune-system side
effects, and they may be found in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics,
pesticides, plastics, detergents, food, toys, and flame retardants,
according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
The current study found one chemical in particular, butyl paraben,
associated with an increase in the percentage of sperm with an
abnormal size and shape as well as a decrease in sperm motility.
[to top of second column] |
Another chemical, ethyl paraben, was associated only with sperm of
atypical size and shape.
Beyond its small size, other limitations of the study include the
lack of data on other environmental or medical factors that might
influence sperm quality or infertility. Because the men all joined
the study after visiting a fertility clinic, it’s also possible the
results might not apply to other men.
Scientists don’t know exactly what amount of parabens might be
harmful or exactly how they work in the human body to damage
fertility.
“No one really knows the mechanism of action of these compounds,”
said Marisa Bartolomei, co-director of the epigenetics program at
the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in
Philadelphia.
Parabens are also so ubiquitous that they’re hard to avoid.
“Parabens are in many products: sunscreens, body lotions, facial
lotions and cleansers, mascara, assorted lipsticks, hand soaps,
shampoos, conditioners, sprays, gels, and some food products,”
Bartolomei, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.
Products labeled “paraben-free” may not necessarily be safe, either.
“Many of us wonder what substitutes for these chemicals there are
and if the substitutes are better or if they have even been tested,”
Bartolomei said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2vGWge0 Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, online July 7, 2017.
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
