Dani Lasher, Vaxxter Contributor
This is a first in a series of articles that will expose little-known scientific research on how Science and Pharma are destroying health, eliminating parental choice and negatively impacting the family. Find Part One here.
In February 2000, the Journal of Family Practice asserted that women seek medical consultations with healthcare providers more than men do. Thus, men and the health issues they face, often go unnoticed and untreated. Intentional or not, males of all ages are being harmed by modern medicine. Is male emasculation the primary motivation behind undermining the overall wellbeing of today’s men?
Male emasculation has become pervasive in our society. People often view this issue through the telescopic lens of society—hyper-focusing on what men wear, how they express emotion, and how they relate to women. These are societal constructs. Let’s take a closer look at several of the direct and biological potential causes.
Endocrine Disaster
Endocrine disruption is destroying how humans have evolved for centuries. The NIH describes endocrine disruptors as:
“Chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife.”
Most Americans are familiar with the topic of male feminization. The media equates emotional expression and skinny jeans are the new “real man.” Science Direct defines feminization as “what happens in the absence of masculinization, meaning it is the default pathway leading to expression of lordosis under the proper hormonal conditions in adulthood.”
Endocrine disruption isn’t just about gender dysfunction. According to the EPA, endocrine disruptors can lead to:
- Infertility
- Immune system dysfunction
- Nervous system disorders
- Birth defects and developmental malformations
- Cancer
Many endocrine disruptors are classified as xenoestrogens, meaning they bind to estrogen receptors then overload the body with estrogenic stimulation. Unfortunately, many xenoestrogens end up in our water supply. Daily consumption of this synthetic hormone by men could wreak havoc on male fertility, cognition, and immune functioning.
Glyphosate, the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s Round-Up, is one of the most worrisome. Even the World Health Organization identifies it as a “probable human carcinogen.” A study released in 2017 in Food and Toxicology on glyphosate found it “promoted the proliferation of estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.” Monsanto lost a landmark glyphosate lawsuit brought by famed attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for failing to inform people they knew it could cause cancer. The suit resulted in a judgment against the company for $289 million in damages.
A 2001 Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology study investigated the link between anti-androgens, xenoestrogens and the rise in male sexual differentiation disorders. It states:
“The ubiquitous presence of endocrine disruptors in the environment and the increased incidence of neonatal genital malformation support the hypothesis that disturbed male sexual differentiation may in some cases be caused by increased exposure to environmental xenoestrogens and/or antiandrogens.”
Endocrine disruptors may play a roll in the development of autoimmune diseases. A 2018 study in the National Academy of Sciences found that frogs regularly exposed to endocrine disruptors in levels that were presumed safe in human drinking water ended up prediabetic. Those same frogs birthed offspring that had problems reproducing, meaning the endocrine disruption can be passed on generationally.
BPA (bisphenol A) is a chemical that is added to many commercial products, including food containers and hygiene products. This chemical is found mostly in plastics, which heavily pollute our waterways. It is another hormone disruptor. A CDC study found it was present in 93% of urine samples tested. Healthline.com reported on a few of the known adverse effects of BPA on men:
- Among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), men with the highest BPA levels were 30–46% more likely to produce lower-quality embryos (Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011).
- A separate study found that men with higher BPA levels were 3–4 times more likely to have a low sperm concentration and low sperm count (Fertil Steril. 2011).
- Men working in BPA manufacturing companies in China reported 4.5 times more erectile difficulty and less overall sexual satisfaction than other men. (Hum Reprod. 2010)
It Starts in Utero
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is an endocrine disruptor that was widely used in the 1940s. The journal, Endocrinology noted in 2006 that exposure to DES during critical periods of development permanently altered the estrogen target tissues in the reproductive tract. The result were abnormalities, such as uterine neoplasia, that were not discovered until later in life. DES was used to prevent miscarriages, but doses were unregulated, exposing some developing fetuses to 50,000 times the amount of estrogen as is in a standard birth control pill today.
A 2011 Fertility and Sterility study reported an increased risk of genital malformations, such as hypospadias in males born to mothers who used DES while pregnant. DES studies highlight an important consideration, that estrogenic side effects may damage genes and those effects can permanently affect many future generations.
A frequently overlooked feminization effect on boys are soy-based formulas, which are highly estrogenic. A Lancet study warned in 1997:
“Circulating concentrations of isoflavones in the seven infants fed soy-based formula were 13,000–22,000 times higher than plasma oestradiol concentrations in early life, and may be sufficient to exert biological effects, whereas the contribution of isoflavones from breast-milk and cow-milk is negligible.”
A study in Human Reproduction (2002) warned of the adverse effects of soy formulas on boys.
Researchers found that monkeys fed soy formula had 53 to 70% lower levels of testosterone at 18-20 and 35-40 days old. Still, early life trauma may also play a roll in the deterioration of male masculinity and health.
A study cited in the book, Environmental Impacts on Reproductive Health and Fertility (2010) notes:
“The amounts of phytoestrogens are 2200-4500 times greater in soy milk than in breast milk and the long-term health effects are not well studied.”
Medication in Males
CCHR International has recently reported that more than 622,000 children under the age of 6 are on one or more psychiatric medications. For boys, these medications target behaviors commonly observed in boys. Modern society believes these behaviors aren’t appropriate – fidgeting, hyperactivity, curiosity, or the inability to stay focused on a task. Teachers admonish parents to medicate these boys into submission.
Aggressive behavior in young boys is a legitimate concern. But science often ignores how childhood medications and environmental endocrine disruptors could fuel those behaviors. A 2014 Environmental Health Perspectives reported that higher phthalate concentrations in boys led to more aggression, conduct issues, and oppositional behaviors. Similar effects were not seen in girls.
Medications used to treat a myriad of health problems may also negatively affect men. Harvard Medical School reports that 25% of erectile dysfunction is a direct side effect of prescription medications.
Statins are controversial, with many studies highlighting risks. A July 2014 study on the effects of atorvastatin, commonly known as Lipitor, on male fertility published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology powerfully, stated: “Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is unsafe in the context of our study.”
Researchers came to this conclusion when they found that Lipitor significantly lowered sperm count, quality, motility, and morphology, and inhibits a process known as the acrosome reaction. In short, this means a sperm’s ability to fuse with the plasma membrane of the egg is diminished. Further, the study noted the potential for decreased prostate activity.
A study on rosuvastatin (Crestor) published in the British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research found mice given this medication produced fewer offspring and each baby had a lower birth weight than infants of mice of parents not on this drug. Additionally, testicular size, testicular weight and testosterone levels were lower in mice given Crestor.
Fertility Faux Pas
A 2017 study published in Human Reproduction Update reported sperm counts among men declined by 52.4% between 1973 and 2011. Hormone disruptors may be driving this decline.
Merriam-Webster defines emasculation as a man being deprived of “strength, vigor or spirit,” and “to deprive of virility or procreative power.” Numerous drugs can lower serum testosterone and elevate serum estrogen, leading to lower male fertility, if not infertile…and infertility can pose a significant threat to man’s overall health. A 2017 study in Andrology noted that infertile men were at greater risk of:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- General immune disorders
- Psoriasis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Grave’s disease
- And thyroiditis
Low testosterone brought on by environmental contamination and medicinal side effects may pose similar threats. A 1999 Psychosomatic Medicine study presented a strong link between low testosterone levels and depression in men. Harvard Health has drawn several links between heart health and low testosterone; a causal relationship hasn’t been established but medical consensus says it may exist. Influenza vaccines are of particular concern since Fluarix, Flublok and Fluzone contain Triton X-100. This compound, often referenced as octylphenol, is a spermicide.
Men and their masculinity are under attack from many chemicals and drugs. It’s becoming increasingly difficult, but the best option is to read labels, eat an organic, chemical-free diet and do your best to avoid conventional drugs, including vaccines.
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Dani Lasher is a writer, motherhood coach, and health advocate living just outside of Washington, DC. While passionate about informed consent and women’s birthing choices, she’s also slightly obsessed with city living and cooking. You can catch up with Dani at her site, BumpMama.