In a recent blog post we discussed the needless concern over the estrogen-like effects that soybean products are thought to pass on to humans.
This concern is not justified, though, because human studies have proven that the isoflavones in soy—commonly classified as phytoestrogens—differ from the hormone estrogen at both the molecular and clinical levels.
For consumers worrying about fertility health, a new study is highlighting where attention should really be focused: microplastics.
The new study, published in December 2024 in Environmental Science & Technology, provides an in-depth and disturbing examination on how microplastics—including those floating in the very air we breathe—are negatively impacting several aspects of human health.
The study included a review of almost 3,000 existing studies that documented how airborne microplastics affect digestive, reproductive and respiratory health.
The world generates about 460 million metric tons of plastic annually; and though it is difficult to see by the naked eye, all of this plastic immediately begins to shed small particles.
Because of this, microplastics are found everywhere—from numerous products in the average home to every workplace and vehicle to every open space. So, the question is no longer if plastics are accumulating in the bodies of humans, but how the accumulation is affecting humans.
Proving whether or not these microplastics are causing health problems is not as easy as one might suspect. Scientists cannot simply recruit people to conduct a placebo-controlled trial, then inject half the participants with microplastics. So, most of the available research is conducted on animals, or involves observational studies on populations with varying degrees of plastic exposure.
For this reason, scientists are hesitant to deal in absolutes. This is not surprising considering it took over 100 years to “prove” tobacco caused cancer; and it took over 60 years for U.S. courts to admit the fluoride being added to the nation’s water supply is a neurotoxin.
Still, when thousands of studies are reviewed, even if the research doesn’t meet the gold standard placebo-control trial level, the consistency of conclusions is highly suggestive.
In the new study, the researchers ultimately concluded: “Microplastics are suspected to harm human reproduction and digestive and respiratory health, with a suggested link to colon cancer.”
Lead study author Nicholas Chartres, PhD, senior research fellow at the University of Sydney and collaborator at the University of California, noted that there has been a surge in this type of study.
“We understand there are digestive, respiratory, and reproductive effects [from microplastics],” Chartres noted. “When we inhale, or consume seafood, or drink water, these microplastics enter our body, our respiratory system, our digestive tract.”
Damage to reproductive health
In reviewing the studies that focused on reproductive health, the researchers consistently documented a negative impact on people with higher exposure to microplastics. Some examples included:
• Five studies evaluated the effects of microplastic exposure on sperm and sperm-related outcomes. In all five studies the researchers found trends in declines in living sperm, sperm concentrations, and sperm motility—as well as increases in sperm malformation.
• Two studies evaluated the effects of polystyrene-type microplastics exposure on ovarian follicles. Both studies found a significant decrease in the number of growing follicles for the most exposed group and a consistent dose–response relationship.
• Six studies measured alterations of reproductive hormones. While the studies differed in the sex hormones measured, all studies found some negative impact on at least one of the parameters measured. The three studies that focused on testosterone found “significant changes in concentrations.”
• Two studies evaluated growth outcome of newborns. One study found a statistically significant correlation with microplastic load in the placenta and reduced birth weight. The other study found a statistically significant correlation with microplastic load in the placenta and reduced birth length and head circumference.
While this is just a sampling of the studies analyzed for the review, the conclusions drawn by the researchers relative to reproductive health was the same as that reported for respiratory and digestive health: “Across the outcomes that were fully evaluated, we identified that exposure to microplastics is suspected to be a hazard to the human reproductive system.”
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