Study shows phthalates, APEs reduce sperm counts

Low levels of exposure to oestrogenic chemicals can cause laboratory rats to have lower sperm counts and smaller testes, a scientific study has confirmed.¹ The research gives the first strong experimental evidence to support the hypothesis that exposure to industrial chemicals - particularly phthalates, alkyl phenols and bisphenol A - is responsible for observed declines in human sperm production. Although the effects seen are not proven to be oestrogenic, they appear to occur at exposures which are below recognised no observed effect levels (NOELs).