In a study published May, 2024 a French infertility clinic measured glyphosate levels in the blood and semen of males who presented for infertility testing.
Glyphosate (GLY) is the active component of glyphosate-based herbicides, which are some of the most commonly used herbicides in the world. Glyphosate-based herbicides were approved in the U.S. in 1974 by the EPA and in 2002 by the European Commission for use in Europe.
GLY was detected in 56% of the subjects and the levels in semen were four times that found in blood. The authors reported that they could not find any adverse effects on sperm motility, concentration, or morphology. However, they did find markers of increased oxidative stress in both blood and semen in subjects who had elevated GLY levels compared to controls. Oxidative stress is postulated to impair sperm quality and results from the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, such as oxygen free radicals, which can cause cellular damage to tissues. Oxidative stress, in other research, has been implicated in the development of some cancers.
GLY blood and semen levels did not significantly differ in subjects living in the city versus those living in the countryside. There was also no significant difference in GLY levels in those that ate organic food compared to those that didn’t. Smokers were found to have higher GLY levels than nonsmokers.
The authors suggested that it might be interesting for future research to see if lifestyle changes or antioxidant therapy might be of help to reduce oxidative stress in infertile males.
Comments:
This is the first published study specifically looking for glyphosate in semen, and documented it in 56% of the men tested. Even more concerning was that that the levels were four times higher in semen than in blood. There has been a global decline in fertility rates and semen quality over the last few decades. It is thought chemical exposures such as pesticides and herbicides may be part of the problem.
This study, although it did not report specific negative effects on sperm motility, morphology, or concentration, did find evidence of increased oxidative stress in the blood and semen of subjects with elevated GLY levels. In animal studies, GLY has been found to reduce sperm quality and also can create changes in gene expression (called epimutations) that can be passed on to descendants.
This study is a stark reminder that chemicals used routinely in the environment eventually may end up in our bodies with potentially negative health effects.
Resources
Vasseur C, Serra L, El Balkhi S, et al. Glyphosate presence in human sperm: First report and positive correlation with oxidative stress in an infertile French population. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. Published online May 1, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132400486X?via%3Dihub
Chang VC, Andreotti G, Ospina M, et al. Glyphosate exposure and urinary oxidative stress biomarkers in the Agricultural Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023;115(4):394-404. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10086635/
Kubsad, D., Nilsson, E.E., King, S.E. et al. Assessment of Glyphosate Induced Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Pathologies and Sperm Epimutations: Generational Toxicology. Sci Rep 9, 6372 (2019). Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42860-0#citeas
Comentarios