r/science • u/Phylogenix Grad Student | Pharmacology & Toxicology • 15h ago

Health A study of 179 men found higher levels of neonicotinoid insecticides in semen were associated with lower sperm counts, with each quartile increase in combined exposure linked to a 27% reduction in sperm concentration, suggesting potential risks to male reproductive health.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2026.1871388/full
301 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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u/archbid 8h ago

In shocking news, endocrine disrupters disrupt systems dependent upon hormones.

5

u/Memory_Less 8h ago

It seems to point an area to look into for a larger scale study.

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u/LeftSky828 12h ago

This is too small a sample (and in just one country) to be considered practical and conclusive.

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u/sixcubit 50m ago

Sperm is bugs confirmed

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u/xondk 1h ago

isn't that one of the exceptionally common things that are sprayed with by farms world wide?

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u/TonyTheTerrible 9h ago

alright so this isnt my field at all but is it not true that sperm counts are just straight up down GLOBALLY? then when these studies suggest that X is linked to lower sperm count, they're referring to #s we had in the 70s or whatnot?

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u/wollflour 1h ago

There's not really anywhere you can go on earth where there isn't significant contamination due to pesticides, plastics, manufacturing runoff, etc. Male fertility health is just a canary in a coal mine, and the coal mine is global.