Environmental pollution: A fearful future for men’s fertility (part 3 – water pollution)

Dear friends, here is the third segment of the series - Environmental pollution: A fearful future for men’s fertility. Today’s topic is water pollution.


The story begins as a research group placed an interesting find - male fishes are facing less sperm count and even being feminized! Let me explain what I have learnt –

The study conducted by the Environment Agency, UK and financed by Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, UK and the official Natural Environment Research Council, UK tested fishes from 10 rivers for 5 years. Those rivers include the river Lea, from where London takes much of its drinking water (Thus the water industry denied the result). Researchers have found that male fishes have received female characteristics in those rivers! The male fishes are changing their sex!!! In some cases all male fish have been feminized! And the percentage is m-o-r-e than 50! That means less than the half of the male fishes of those rivers is actually male and can participate in reproductive activity!!! Don’t be fishy about this fishy thing! Because, the fact which causes harm to male fishes can also do harm to male human beings .

Why those male fishes are loosing productivity? The clear answer is – because of water pollution. In this case the contaminating culprit is estrogen. Women use contraceptive pill. That contains estrogen. That estrogen comes out through their urine. Through sewage the urine, containing estrogen, reaches river. And finally powerful form of estrogen contaminates water bodies . The affected fishes couldn’t be cured even by putting them back into fresh water. It means that the status is permanent.

It is mentioned above that the polluted rivers includes rivers like the Lea which is a source of drinking water in London. Again, British men are among the group of people who are facing continues decline in sperm count over time world wide. The polluted water that causes male fishes to be transformed into “new female” fish is also blamed for the low sperm count of male human being . That’s the “MANO YA NA MANO” of the day !