Variation Under Nature

Of my friends with children, twice as many have daughters than do sons. Two times as many baby girls! Why is that???

The answer could be environmental.

Fewer boys are being born. The falling male birth rate is global. More than twenty nations, including the United States, are observing this phenomena. And male infertility is on the rise. Human sperm counts are half what they used to be fifty years ago. And 85% of sperm are abnormal and less likely to successfully conceive.

Could this largely be due to chemicals in our environment? In our homes? In our workplaces? In our hospitals? And in the food we eat, water we drink, and air we breathe? Yes!

Sixty years ago synthetic materials did not exist. Now there are more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals being used in our products, 85% of which have never been tested for impacts on the human body. These chemicals are used to make plastics hard and unbreakable or soft and pliable. They are used to keep cosmetics fresh and fragrant, to keep computers flame resistant and fabrics stain resistant. These chemicals are used to help grow and manage the food we eat.

Pesticides have been proven to harm animals as well as humans. DDT was widely used as an insecticide for over thirty years before it was banned. In Florida, recent studies show male alligators that were exposed to pesticides measure very low testosterone levels, similar to the levels of the females. Male fish are growing female organs and even producing eggs. These fish were exposed to chemicals in the water that mimic the female hormone, estrogen. This is called hormone mimicking. If these chemicals are affecting wildlife, why not humans? Certain toxic chemicals are blocking the production of the male hormone, testosterone.

In Aamjiwnaang Reservation, Ontario, Canada, a petro-chemical plant releases over 130,000 tons of toxic chemicals each year, accounting for 40% of Canada’s chemical industry. Dioxins, benzymes and mercury are some of the chemicals produced here, all of which are known to be toxic to human reproduction. They believe that such a strong chemical exposure is killing boys in the womb. In 2006, the sharpest decline in male births ever recorded was here in Aamjiwnaang; half as many boys were born as were girls.

Those most affected by these toxins in our environment, are the unborn children. The fetus has very few defenses and is much more sensitive to these toxic chemicals than the mother. For the first six weeks after conception, the human embryo is neither male nor female. The cells are dividing from each other and after the sixth week, they begin to develop into organs. It’s at the seventh week of pregnancy that the male reproductive tract begins to form, based on the fetus’ sex hormones, including testosterone. Toxic chemicals in the environment are blocking the production of these hormones. Less testosterone is produced. Fewer boys are being born. Are male fetuses not surviving in the womb?

Every day we are being exposed to these synthetic chemicals in their clothing, furniture, bedding, in the water we drink and the air we breathe. These chemicals are accumulating in our bodies and wreaking havoc on our reproductive systems.

DEHP is a toxin used in making PVC, one of the most common plastics. PVC is used in many medical devices including intravenous tubing, catheters, blood bags, and breathing tubes. DEHP is ending up in our bodies, in the bodies of pregnant women, and in the bodies of baby boys who are suseptible to adverse affects on the male reproductive system. Many hospitals are starting to replace PVC equipment with non-toxic forms of plastic.

BPA, or byspheral A, is a synthetic estrogen used to make the most widely used plastic. BPA is used in making plastic baby bottles, water bottles, and plastic children’s toys, just to name a few. Wal-Mart has begun to remove baby bottles made from BPA from their shelves. And many plastic containers are now marketed as BPA free.

Phthalates are petro-based chemicals used in making products that many of us use every day: deoderant, shampoo, body wash, and other personal care products. Phthalates are known to cause significant changes in male offspring. It is known to affect normal sexual development in male babies, called phthalate syndrome, or a decreased masculinization. Again, less testosterone.

So, what can we do about this? Buy toxic-free products. Buy BPA-free plastics. Buy from companies who produce phthalate-free products. Use the ZRecs Guide in determining which products contain harmful chemicals, from bottles and sippy cups to bath toys and sunscreen. Buy phthalate-free personal care products such as Shaklee and Burt’s Bees or products with certified organic ingredients. And eat organic food whenever possible!

To hear the full story, watch the CBC documentary below, “The Disappearing Male.”