Dietary Pollutants May Affect Testosterone Levels

A number of studies suggest that exposure to industrial pollutants may affect sexual function–for example, loss of libido, sexual dysfunction, and impotence. This may be due to effects on testosterone levels. In a study of men who ate a lot of contaminated fish, an elevation in PCB levels in the blood was associated with a lower concentration of testosterone levels.

Testosterone doesn’t just play a role in the determination of secondary sex characteristics like facial hair at puberty, but in normal sexual functioning, and in overall physical and psychological wellbeing in adult men. Abnormally low levels of testosterone can lead to decreased physical endurance and memory capacity, loss of libido, drop in sperm count, loss of bone density, obesity, and depression.

These so-called endocrine-disrupting compounds that build up in fish may be able to mimic or block hormone receptors or alter rates of synthesis or breakdown of the sex steroid hormones. In children, these pollutants may actually impair sexual development. Boys who were exposed may grow up with smaller penises–though we’re only talking about two thirds of an inch, at most. We’re not sure if the effects on penis length are due to the pro-estrogenic effects of the toxins or the anti-testosterone effects.

In fact if you expose cells from aborted fetal human penises to these kinds of dietary pollutants, gene expression related to genital development is affected even at real-life exposure levels. These toxins are found predominantly in fish, but also meat and dairy, with the lowest levels in plants.

You’ve heard of save the whales? Well, male reproductive organs may be at risk from environmental hazards.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.

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• S Tait, C La Rocca, A Mantovani. Exposure of human fetal penile cells to different PCB mixtures: transcriptome analysis points to diverse modes of interference on external genitalia programming. Reprod Toxicol. 2011 Jul;32(1):1-14.
• A Goncharov, R Rej, S Negoita, M Schymura, A Santiago-Rivera, G Morse; Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment, DO Carpenter. Lower serum testosterone associated with elevated polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Native American men. Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Sep;117(9):1454-60.
• JP Bonde. Male reproductive organs are at risk from environmental hazards. Asian J Androl. 2010 Mar;12(2):152-6.
• YL Guo, TJ Lai, SH Ju, YC Chen, CC Hsu. Sexual Developments and Biological Findings in Yucheng Children. Organohalogen Compounds 1993 (14). 235-238.
• WJ Rogan, NB Ragan. Evidence of Effects of Environmental Chemicals on the Endocrine System in Children. Pediatrics. 2003 Jul;112(1 Pt 2):247-52.
• A Schecter, P Cramer, K Boggess, J Stanley, O Päpke, J Olson, A Silver, M Schmitz. Intake of dioxins and related compounds from food in the U.S. population. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2001 May 11;63(1):1-18.

• bone health
• children
• dairy
• depression
• endocrine disruptors
• erectile dysfunction
• fish
• hormones
• impotence
• industrial pollutants
• meat
• memory
• men's health
• mental health
• obesity
• PCBs
• penis health
• persistent organic pollutants
• pregnancy
• puberty
• reproductive health
• sexual health
• sperm counts
• testosterone
• weight loss
• women's health