A study found traces of microplastics in the testicles of humans and dogs

(HealthDay News) — A study suggests that Microplastics A new study suggests it may pose a particular threat to men. Human testicles contain three times higher levels of these tiny pieces of plastic than those seen in Animal testes and human placenta.

“They look like little pieces, little broken pieces, of very, very old plastic,” said lead researcher Matthew Campen, Regents Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. His team’s findings were published in a recent issue of the journal Toxicological Sciences.

“It’s an eye-opening situation right now.”the campaign told CNN. “We are only now realizing how much plastic we have in our bodies. “We need increased research on this topic to confirm or refute the role of microplastics in infertility, testicular cancer and other types of cancer.”

The evidence is already piling up: Once inside the body, these tiny particles can invade cells and tissues in major organs.disrupting cellular processes and potentially accumulating endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenols, phthalates, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and heavy metals, experts say.

According to the Endocrine Society, endocrine disruptors can cause genital and reproductive abnormalities, as well as female infertility and a drop in sperm count.

Notably, sperm counts in some parts of the world, including the United States, have declined by at least 50% over the past 50 years, the society says.

In the new study, researchers evaluated 23 preserved testicles from cadavers that ranged in age from 16 to 88 when they died. They then compared the levels of 12 different types of plastic in those testicles to those found in the testicles of 47 dogs.

“The levels of microplastic fragments and types of plastics in human testicles were three times higher than the levels found in dogs, and dogs are eating ground,” Campen said. “So it really puts into perspective what we’re putting into our bodies.”

Campaign said researchers expected to find more plastic pieces in the testicles of older men in the study, but that was not the case.

“It appears that levels of plasticity are higher in men during their peak reproductive years, which is ages 20 to 45, and begin to decline after age 55,” he said. “This shows that the human body can degrade these plastics.”

The less positive side of that finding suggests that the higher energy requirements of the young testicles “may attract more plasticity to that organ,” Campen said.

“Add to that the fact that the amount of plastic we are exposed to is doubling every 10 to 15 years,” he said. “So what happens in 15 years when we are exposed to twice the amount, or in 30 years when we are exposed to four times the amount? That’s why action is urgently needed now.”

The researchers also compared the testicular results to the levels of microplastics found in a previous study of 62 human placentas. In that study, led by the campaign, researchers found microplastics at levels ranging from 6.5 to 790 micrograms per gram of tissue in all placenta samples studied.

“In the testicles, the levels of plastic were three times higher than what we saw in the placenta,” Campan said. “But you have to keep in mind that the lifespan of the placenta is only eight months.”

The latest study is not the first to find plastic in human reproductive tissue, CNN reports.

A team of Chinese researchers found microplastics in six human testicles and 30 semen samples in a June 2023 study.

more information

Harvard Medicine has more information on microplastics.

Source: Toxicology Science, May 15, 2024; cnn