For the last 70 years, the worldwide fertility rate has declined by a total of 50%.
Though this exponential decrease can be attributed to a wide variety of factors, the pollutants and chemicals found in drinking water play an alarming role in the damaging effects on both male and female fertility.
Let's break it down.
What's in our Water?
Phthalates - Phthalates are widely used chemicals, primarily found in plastics to enhance durability and structure. These chemicals are prevalent throughout the manufacturing world, from baby toys and personal care products like shampoo, to kitchen utensils and cups. This widespread use means phthalates can easily find their way into your drinking water
Estrogen - You read that right. Estrogen. Whether natural or synthetic, it has infiltrated our drinking water. Sources include the cattle industry, solid waste and effluents from livestock and agricultural areas, sewage plants, and birth control pills. Regardless of its origin, the presence of estrogen in drinking water poses serious health concerns for both humans and animals.
DBPs (disinfection byproducts) - Here’s a quick throwback to high school chemistry. The chlorine used to treat drinking water reacts with both organic and inorganic matter, forming a compound known as DBP. Exposure to DBP in tap water is associated with various harmful effects.
PFAs - PFAs are yet another toxic manufactured chemical that has been widely used by the manufacturing industry since the 1940s. You may have heard them referred to as “forever chemicals” because they take thousands of years to break down in the environment.
So what's the harm?
Hang on to your hats because this list is a doozy.
increased incidence of tumors
endocrine disruption in both males and females
impaired neurodevelopment
influence on functioning of multiple organs
adverse reproductive outcomes
increase risk of chronic disease
Disrupts the endocrine system
associated with increased risk of breast cancer
Impairs reproductive function
Triggers adverse health effects
Carcinogenic effects
Reproductive and developmental effects
Cardiovascular diseases
Respiratory problems
Immune system effects
Increase in cholesterol levels
Pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia
Kidney and testicular cancer
Changes in liver enzymes
Endocrine disruption
What now?
While it can be overwhelming to read the long list of side effects these contaminants pose to your health and fertility, equipping yourself with knowledge is the first step in protecting your well-being. Thankfully, there are effective solutions available to filter these harmful contaminants from your drinking water
Check out some of these articles to see what options are available to you:
Sources Cited:
CDC. (n.d.). How PFAS Impacts Your Health. ATSDR. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/about/health-effects.html
Cleveland Clinic. (2024, November 18). Are Phthalates Safe? Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-phthalates
Gonsioroski, A., Mourikes, V. E., & Flaws, J. A. (2020). Endocrine Disruptors in Water and Their Effects on the Reproductive System. International Journal of molecular sciences, 21(6), 1929.
Kalita, I., Kamilaris, A., Havinga, P., & Reva, I. (2024). Assessing the Health Impact of Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water. ACS Publications, 4(4), 1564-1578. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestwater.3c00664
Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS | US EPA. (2024, November 26). Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas
Roser, M. (2014). The global decline of the fertility rate. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/global-decline-fertility-rate
Comments