Microplastics found in human testicles

Professor Xiaozhong Yu from the University of New Mexico expressed initial skepticism about microplastics penetrating the reproductive system.

Researchers have discovered microplastics in human testicles, suggesting a possible connection to declining sperm counts in men.

The study tested 23 human testicles and 47 testicles from pet dogs, finding microplastic pollution in every sample.

Although the human testicles had been preserved, preventing sperm count measurement, the dogs’ testicles showed lower sperm counts with higher PVC contamination.

This indicates a correlation, though more research is needed to confirm if microplasticsdirectly cause reduced sperm counts.

Professor Xiaozhong Yu from the University of New Mexico expressed initial skepticism about microplastics penetrating the reproductive system.

However, he was surprised by the findings in both dogs and humans. The testes analysed were obtained from postmortems conducted in 2016, with the men aged 16 to 88 at the time of death.

Polyethylene, commonly used in plastic bags and bottles, was the most prevalent microplastic found, followed by PVC.

"PVC can release many chemicals that interfere with spermatogenesis and cause endocrine disruption," Yu explained. The human testicles were collected by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and analysed after a seven-year storage period.

A smaller 2023 study in China also found microplastics in six human testicles and 30 semen samples. Recent mouse studies have reported that microplastics reduce sperm count and cause abnormalities and hormone disruptions.

These findings highlight the urgent need for further research to understand the impact of microplastics on human health, particularly reproductive health.