In this article:
Plastics have long been a part of modern life, but the breakdown of these materials into microscopic fragments has raised new questions about long-term exposure. Though research is still ongoing, the early findings are concerning enough to call for greater awareness and further study.
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are small plastic fragments that come from the breakdown of larger plastics or are intentionally made tiny for use in products. They’re found everywhere, from oceans and soil to the air you breathe. There are two main types:- Primary microplastics: These are deliberately manufactured small, like microbeads in cosmetics or fibres from synthetic clothing such as polyester.
- Secondary microplastics: These form when larger plastics, like bottles or bags, break down due to sunlight, weathering, or mechanical wear.
Their tiny size allows them to spread easily through ecosystems, ending up in water, food, and even household dust.
How Do Microplastics Enter Your Body?
Microplastics can sneak into your body in several ways without you realising. This is how they make their way in:- Ingestion: You might consume microplastics through contaminated seafood, drinking water, or packaged foods. A 2018 study found these particles in fish, shellfish, and even sea salt.
- Inhalation: Tiny plastic fibres float in the air in cities or industrial areas, and can be breathed in. Synthetic fabrics release these fibres when washed or worn.
- Skin contact: Some cosmetics, like exfoliating scrubs, contain microplastics that can be absorbed through your skin or washed into the environment.
- Household dust: Synthetic materials in furniture or carpets release microplastics into dust, which you might inhale or ingest.
Microplastics and Female Reproductive Health
Microplastics pose specific risks to women’s fertility by interfering with hormonal balance and reproductive organs:- Hormonal disruption: Many microplastics contain chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which mimic or block hormones such as oestrogen. This may cause irregular menstrual cycles and make it harder to conceive.
- Ovarian function: Exposure to microplastics may impair your ovaries, reducing egg quality and affecting ovulation. This can lower your chances of successful conception.
- Endometriosis risk: A 2021 study suggests that plastic-derived chemicals may raise the risk of endometriosis, a condition in which tissue resembling the lining of the uterus grows in areas outside the uterus and impacts fertility.
- Uterine health: Microplastics can cause inflammation or endometrial hyperplasia (thickening of the uterine lining), which may interfere with embryo implantation.
- Placental dysfunction: Microplastics can cross the placenta in pregnant individuals and may potentially cause lower birth weights, developmental issues in the foetus, or changes in placental health.
Microplastics and Male Reproductive Health
Men’s reproductive systems are also vulnerable to microplastics, with studies showing alarming levels of these particles in testes and sperm.- Microplastics, particularly polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), have been linked to lower sperm counts. Higher concentrations in testes correlate with smaller testes, which produce less sperm.
- Sperm exposed to microplastics may move abnormally, reducing their ability to reach and fertilise an egg.
- Microplastics can cause sperm to develop harmful mutations or abnormal shapes, which can lead to infertility or increase the risk of genetic issues in offspring.
- Accumulation of microplastics in the testes may cause inflammation and oxidative stress. This can damage tissue and disrupt sperm production.
- Testosterone disruption: Chemicals like BPA in microplastics may lower testosterone levels.
- A research article published in the International Journal of Impotence Research found microplastics in the penile tissue of men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED). The study did not establish a direct link between microplastics and ED, but further research is needed to explore any possible connection.
Microplastics have become a hidden threat to reproductive health. Found in food, water, air, and even household dust, these tiny particles can enter your body and interfere with critical biological processes. More studies are needed to fully understand the long-term impact, but the growing presence of microplastics in human tissues is concerning.
FAQs on Microplastics: A Growing Threat to Male and Female Fertility
- How do microplastics get into my body?
They can enter through what you eat, drink, breathe, or even touch. Microplastics are found in seafood, bottled water, dust, and some skincare products. - Is there any link between microplastics and erectile dysfunction?
One study found microplastics in the penile tissue of men with ED, but it didn’t prove they caused it. More research is needed to confirm any direct link.
