The effects of phthalates, which are commonly found in plastic products and other chemical products, are associated with a decreased level of testosterone hormone in men, women and children.

This is evidenced by the results of a new study conducted in the US.

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men, which also participates in many other functions, both in the female and in the male body.

Testosterone is necessary for physical growth, maintaining muscle strength and strength of bones, as well as for the functioning of the brain and heart.

Researchers at the University of Michigan studied the effect of phthalates on testosterone levels in 2,200 people of different ages who in 2011-2012 participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Phthalates can be found in flexible PVC plastic and many products for personal hygiene, therefore it is almost impossible to completely protect oneself from the effects of these substances to a modern person. This researchers write in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"We have found evidence that a decreased level of testosterone in the blood is associated with the impact of phthalate in some key populations, including boys aged 6-12 years, and women and men from 40 to 60," says study author John Meeker ), a researcher at the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

A high level of phthalates is associated with a decrease in the concentration of testosterone by 11-24% among women 40-60 years, and in boys 6-12 years under their influence testosterone can decrease by 24-34%. Although researchers can not, with the help of this work, prove the causal relationship between phthalates and testosterone, these figures deserve attention.

The results of this work "may be of great importance for public health, since low testosterone levels in boys adversely affect the development of reproductive organs, and in middle age the deficit of this hormone can disrupt sexual function, libido, capacity for work, cognitive abilities, and also affect bone health fabrics for women and men ».

Over the past 50 years there has been a gradual decline in testosterone levels in men and an increase in the problems associated with testosterone deficiency.

This includes a low quality of sperm, erectile dysfunction, a violation of the structure of the genitals, etc..

The latest study "supports the hypothesis that the external action of endocrine poisons, including phthalates, may be the cause of the observed decrease in testosterone in the modern population and the spread of related pathologies".

Scientists believe that this is another signal for legislators and consumers themselves, which should make them reconsider their attitude to this product.

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