In September, we wondered about the impact of microplastics on climate change. A study had actually demonstrated the presence of tiny plastic particles in clouds, which could influence their formation. Now, it is at a very human level that a study has brought new concern.
The research, carried out by IJIR and published in the scientific journal Your Sexual Medicine Journal, attests to the presence of microplastics in the human penis. The survey was conducted on participants who were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and hospitalized to undergo surgery for penile implants. The result is unequivocal: in the 4 out of five samples taken from the participants’ penises, seven different types of microplastics were found.
Pfas pollution: two of the most widespread “eternal pollutants” declared carcinogenic by a reference center
For the lead author of the study, Ranjith Ramasamy, an expert in reproductive urology, these results are not surprising. Having already noted in another study the presence of microplastics in the human heart, he was not surprised to find microplastics in the penis, because it is a “very vascular organ”, as he confided to CNN .
For his part, Matthew J. Campen, toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences, conducted a study on human testicles in May. This revealed alarming levels of microplastics and nanoplastics: “Levels of microplastic shards and types of plastics in human testicles were three times higher than those found in dogs, and dogs eat off the ground”. “It really puts into perspective what we put into our own bodies”, said the professor.
A link to establish
For Ranjith Ramasamy, the work is far from over. “We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to erectile dysfunction and whether there is a level beyond which they cause pathology and what types of microplastics are pathological”, he explained on CNN. For Campen, the study on human testicles proved an erectile risk. “Plastics generally do not react with cells and chemicals in our bodies, but they could physically disrupt the many processes our bodies undertake for normal functioning, including functions related to erections and sperm production”, explained the researcher in reaction to the study conducted by IJIR.
The author thus wishes that his study “creates more awareness about the presence of foreign bodies in human organs and promotes more research on this subject”.
A survey reveals that many everyday objects are full of toxic pollutants
Reflexes to take
For the urology expert, caution is required until science has clarified this dark side of microplastics. “I think we need to be careful about drinking water and food from plastic bottles and containers and try to limit their use until more research is done to identify the levels that may cause a pathology“, did he declare.
No, Belgians do not eat the equivalent of a bank card per week
As many have suggested before, Dr. Leonardo Trasande, director of environmental pediatrics, advised in the columns of CNN to “reduce our plastic footprint by using stainless steel and glass containers where possible”. In addition, he asks to avoid “microwaving food or drinks in plastic, including infant formula and pumped breast milk, and putting plastic in the dishwasher, as the heat can cause leaching of chemicals”.
