Saturday, May 24, 2008

Leave the painting to the women!

And here is another thing that is bad for the male population - or rather for their sperm count - paint. The chemicals in the paints may be the reason behind low 'normal sperm' count. Glycol solvents seem to be key.

Men regularly exposed to chemicals found in paint may be more prone to fertility problems, research suggests. Men such as painters and decorators, who work with glycol solvents, are two-and-a-half times more likely to produce fewer "normal" sperm.

The UK study looked at more than 2,000 men attending 14 fertility clinics. The men were questioned about their jobs, lifestyles, and potential exposure to chemicals, revealing a 250% increase in risk of sperm motility problems among those exposed to glycol ethers. These chemicals are widely used as solvents in water-based paints. This risk was present even after other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, wearing tight underpants, testicular surgery and manual work, were taken into consideration. (BBC)

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