12 Fertility Toxins to Avoid

Julie Martory
08/09/2024

In recent decades, fertility has declined significantly, and our environment and diet are undoubtedly responsible for this. With Dr. Patrice Halimi, pediatric surgeon, co-founder of ASEF (Association Santé Environnement France) and author of La grande détox (Calmann-Lévy, 2015), this is a review of toxic products we must avoid in order to preserve our fertility.

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Toxic product: phthalates

Phthalates are present in many everyday objects: food packaging, PVC products, certain fabrics, toys, etc. However, they are endocrine disruptors. They modify the functioning of our hormonal system. A study (1) has shown that exposure of adult male testicles to phthalates leads to a decrease in testosterone production and is responsible for the reduction of testicles, with consequences on fertility.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Avoid heating your food in plastic containers. Favor glass. As for cosmetics, favor products with an eco-label.

(1) Human testis steroidogenesis is inhibited by phthalates. Hum Reprod. 2012, March 8

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Toxic product: bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is also an endocrine disruptor. Once in the body, it mimics estrogen. In 2013, a team from Inserm (2) experimentally demonstrated that exposure to BPA reduced testosterone production. According to the author of the study, "bisphenol A may also contribute to the drop in sperm production (...)". On the woman's side, a study showed that the higher the concentration of BPA in the blood, the lower the chances of IVF success, which suggests a possible effect of BPA on the quality of oocytes.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Since January 2015, BPA has been banned in all food containers, but it may be replaced by BPS and BPF, which are also suspected of being endocrine disruptors. As a precaution, swap your plastic food containers for glass containers, especially for heating in the microwave. If you have a baby, opt for unbreakable glass baby bottles instead.

(2) Differential Effects of Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol on Human, Rat and Mouse Fetal Leydig Cell Function; Plos One, December 2012

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Toxic product: pesticides

In the large family of pesticides, around forty are considered endocrine disruptors. This is evidenced by this recent American study (3) which concluded that men who consumed the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables with had a sperm count 50% lower than men who consumed much less. On the female side, "the link between pesticides and infertility in women is poorly understood and needs to be better studied", said Inserm in 2013.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Choose organic fruits and vegetables (French AB or European AB label) and local (to avoid them being coated with preservatives). If you cannot afford "organic", remember to peel your fruits and vegetables. Gardening enthusiasts, avoid using pesticides as much as possible and favor natural solutions (see the Little health guide to organic gardening, on the ASEF website).

(3) Fruit and vegetable intake and their pesticide residues in relation to semen quality among men from a fertility clinic, Human Reproduction, Vol.0, No.0 pp. 1–10, 2015

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Toxic products: parabens

We are regularly exposed to parabens, substances used as preservatives in cosmetic products and medicines. However, they are endocrine disruptors: their estrogenic effect could have consequences on male fertility. As proof: a study conducted (4) on a hundred men consulting for infertility revealed that the presence in the blood of butyl paraben (a type of paraben) was associated with alterations in the DNA of their spermatozoa.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Not all parabens are the same, but as a precaution, it is better to avoid them all. Instead of “0% parabens” or “paraben-free” products, choose eco-labeled products (ORGANIC cosmetics or ECO cosmetics label). (see the Petit guide santé du Bio-Cosmétique, on the ASEF website).

(4) Urinary concentrations of parabens and serum hormone levels, semen quality parameters, and sperm DNA damage. Environ Health Perspect. 2011; 119 (2): 252-57.

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Toxic products: glycol ethers

Glycol ethers are solvents used in paints, varnishes, glues, cosmetics, and cleaning products. "Also, the circumstances in which consumers come into contact with them are very varied: breathing the air in a repainted room, applying makeup or dyeing your hair, cleaning windows, etc.," as the Ministry of Health has specified. This is worrying given that some glycol ethers are recognised as "reprotoxic" — they can impair male or female fertility. 

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Choose natural or eco-labeled household products (see the Little Health Guide to Bio-Household Cleaning, on the ASEF website) and if you are planning to do some painting work, choose an eco-labeled paint as well and ventilate as much as possible.

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Toxic products: dioxins

Dioxins include around sixty chemical products from industry and incineration. Present in the environment, they accumulate in the food chain. Result: we all have a more or less significant stock of dioxins in our bodies, especially in our fat cells. However, "dioxins are very toxic and can cause problems with reproduction," reminds the WHO.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: When eating eggs and dairy, choose "organic".

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Toxic products: PCBs

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, substances used as electrical insulators, in certain paints, in microwaves, etc.) have been banned since the 1980s, but it will take decades to eliminate them from nature, particularly in rivers. However, several studies have revealed the impact of PCBs on fertility. One (5) showed that exposure to PCBs could lead to delayed pregnancy; another (6) that this exposure was linked to an increased risk of embryo implantation failure in couples undergoing IVF.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Anses recommends that women of childbearing age limit their consumption of freshwater fish (eel, barbel, bream, carp, catfish) to once or twice a month.

(5) Persistent Environmental Pollutants and Couple Fecundity: The LIFE Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Nov 14.
(6) Serum Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Relation to in Vitro Fertilization Outcomes, 2011 Jul;119(7):1010-6.

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Toxic products: perfluorinated compounds

Among the perfluorinated compounds, PFOA and PFOS present in certain non-stick coatings are particularly problematic. "A study carried out on a Danish birth cohort reports an association between plasma levels of PFOS and PFOA and the fertility of couples (increased risk of involuntary infertility). Another Danish study suggests a link between cumulative levels of PFOS and PFOA and a change in sperm morphology,” reports Inserm in its 2011 Reproduction and Environment report.

Dr. Patrice Halimi’s advice: Avoid Teflon pans, especially if they are scratched and damaged, and opt for stainless steel or natural cast iron pans.

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Toxic products: non-native EMF waves

Smartphones, laptops and tablets connected to Wi-Fi: they all emit waves. Their effects on health are not yet well known, but an Argentinian study (7) showed that Wi-Fi waves could reduce sperm mobility and alter their DNA.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Ask your man to stop using his computer on his lap (which also heats up, and sperm don't like heat) and to avoid keeping his smartphone in his front pocket.

(7) Use of laptop computers connected to the internet through Wi-Fi decreases human sperm motility and increases sperm DNA fragmentation; Fertility and Sterility, January 2012, Volume 97, Issue 1, Pages 39–45.e2

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Toxic products: tobacco

In women, smoking could impair fertility by 10 to 40% per cycle (depending on the number of cigarettes) and extend the time to conception by almost double. Tobacco also reduces the ovarian reserve, the quality of oocytes, the vascularisation of the uterus (and therefore the chances of implantation), and increases the risk of early miscarriage. In men, tobacco would have an impact on the number and mobility of spermatozoa, as well as on their entire DNA.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: Ideally, stop smoking a few months before attempting pregnancy in order to clear all the toxins. Quitting smoking is difficult, so do not hesitate to get help, for example with www.tabac-info-service.fr.

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Toxic products: alcohol

We know the harmful effects of alcohol on the fetus, less so those on fertility, yet very real. In women, alcohol would disrupt ovulation and increase the risk of miscarriage. On the man's side, alcohol consumption would have effects on the quantity and quality of spermatozoa from the consumption of 2 glasses per day.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: A small glass from time to time is OK, but not regular consumption. Alcohol intake should remain an exceptional thing, for both women and men.

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Toxic products: saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids

Saturated fatty acids are naturally present in meat, dairy products and in certain tropical vegetable oils (especially palm oil) and food products (pastries, cakes, chips, ready meals, pizzas, chocolate bars, etc.). When these vegetable oils have been hydrogenated (to make them more stable and easier to use), they are called trans fatty acids. Implicated in overweight and obesity, these bad fats are also said to have an impact on female and male fertility.

Dr. Patrice Halimi's advice: On the label, look out for the words palm oil, copra oil, palm kernel oil, and especially "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil". Better still: avoid industrial products, or failing that, opt for their organic version.

A big thank you to ASEF (www.asef-asso.fr)

Source: https://nouveau-monde.ca/12-produits-toxiques-a-eviter-pour-preserver-votre-fertilite/