New research suggests so-called forever chemicals could significantly alter male reproductive health, even without visibly damaging sperm.
Researchers from the University of Newcastle found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – synthetic chemicals that persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms – may have an impact on fertility.
Mounting evidence suggests they may pose risks to human health, including impacts on male fertility, and these latest findings may further raise concerns about the potential long-term and generational effects of PFAS exposure.
Led by Professor Brett Nixon and Dr Jacinta Martin, the pre-clinical study exposed mice to PFAS-contaminated water for 12 weeks at concentrations reflecting those from samples taken from a contaminated site in New South Wales.
While the study found that sperm still functioned normally, being able to move, survive, and fertilise eggs in lab conditions, molecules that help regulate gene expression were found to have been altered.
A number of PFAS contaminated sites have been identified in Western Australia, including airports and defence sites.
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According to the results, published in Communications Biology, day-to-day sperm production decreased during the PFAS exposure period, male hormone levels fell and testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen hormone derived from testosterone and vital for sperm production, were reduced.
Professor Nixon said the research showed PFAS exposure at environmentally relevant levels could change the molecular makeup of sperm with potential implications for disrupting embryo development.
“What’s striking is that the sperm still looked and functioned normally in lab conditions,” he said.
“But beneath the surface, they were carrying molecular changes that could affect the next generation.
“We also found lower levels of testosterone and DHT in male mice exposed to PFAS, and daily sperm production decreased too.”
The study examined the consequences of PFAS exposure on male fertility and subsequent embryo health.
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“We discovered there were some changes to gene expression which could impact the health of the embryo,” Dr Martin added.
“One of the predicted changes we noticed was related to body size, and the potential for offspring fathered by PFAS exposed animals to be born, or grow, significantly larger than normal.”
These findings echo human studies showing lower sperm counts in men with high PFAS exposure and suggest that paternal PFAS exposure alone could have consequences for children, even if the children themselves are not directly exposed.
“Our study was based on a real-world environmental exposure. We emulated the levels and types of PFAS found in samples from a ground water monitoring well – not a drinking water source – located in the Williamtown contamination zone,” Dr Martin said.
She said the findings were especially relevant for communities where PFAS contamination has been a long-standing concern and said the research emphasised an urgent need to understand how PFAS exposure affects reproductive health and future generations.
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