Nail polish may lower sperm motility
It’s not just nail polish that may lower sperm motility in men. Wallpaper, sandals, carpet and even perfumes contain phthalates, a chemical whose exposure if is high in men, has the ability to lower sperm motility and therefore may make it difficult for men to conceive children, a new study has indicated.
Phthalate molecules leak out of plastics, and hence we are exposed to it daily and absorb it through food, drink, skin contact and inhalation.
Said Jonathan Axelsson, researcher at the department of laboratory medicine, Lund University. ‘We have studied metabolite levels of the phthalate DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) in urine as an indicator of exposure, as well as the semen quality of 300 men between the ages of 18 and 20.’
‘The results show that the higher metabolite levels the men had, the lower their sperm motility was,’ Jonathan said.
Written by: Dr. Ajay Sati.
