http://www.pan-europe.info/News/PR/150520.html
https://euobserver.com/institutional/128768
unep.org/pdf/9789241505031_eng.pdf
Handbook of FertilityNutrition, Diet, Lifestyle and Reproductive Health
2015, Pages 89–97
Chapter 8 – The Effects of Environmental Hormone Disrupters on Fertility, and a Strategy to Reverse their Impact
Abstract
In
recent decades, an increasing number of couples have consulted
professionals about infertility. In at least half of these a male factor
was involved. Aside from well-known causes, such as varicocele,
accessory gland infection, and congenital abnormalities, environmental
and lifestyle factors play an important role. Hormone-disrupting agents,
xenoestrogens in particular, deregulate the
hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis and directly damage
spermatogenesis. Using a cell-free receptor binding assay, we can detect
enormously high levels of contamination with xenoestrogens in Flemish
surface waters, which ultimately are absorbed with human food and are
bioaccumulated in fat tissue. A policy to reduce the production and
distribution of these hormone-disrupting agents has resulted in partial
recovery of sperm quality in Flemish men. Treatment of infertile men
with the antiestrogen Tamoxifen and food supplementation with a
specifically formulated nutraceutical (Qualisperm®) restored
fertility with a number needed to treat of 4. In women of advanced age,
the presence of endometriosis, or of pelvic inflammatory disease, or of
polycystic ovary syndrome, decreases the probability of conception.
Obesity, unbalanced diet, endocrine regulation, and disturbed estrogen
metabolism may interfere with fertility. Treatment aims at restoring the
endocrine balance, and counteracting oxidative damage and inflammation.
Also, energy supply for cell division during embryogenesis should be
optimized.
Keywords
- infertility;
- xenoestrogen;
- endocrine disruptor;
- nutraceutical;
- food supplement;
- environment
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
