The secret to becoming a stronger swimmer may lie in your gut.
A growing body of research suggests that industrial chemicals found in plastic food containers and other everyday items may be having a negative impact on male fertility, reducing sperm count, slowing it down and increasing the risk of abnormalities.
Now, scientists say a nutritional supplement developed in Japan could help soften some of that damage. And it’s inspired by things that usually get washed away without a second thought.
The new study, led by scientists at Osaka Metropolitan University, focused on countering the effects of bisphenol A (BPA).
This man-made chemical has been used since the 1950s to make certain plastics and resins stronger, more durable, and heat-resistant, such as those used in food packaging and the inside coatings of metal cans.
However, BPA is not always trapped within these materials. Research shows that it can leach into food and drinks from the containers in which it is stored and silently enter the human body.
In fact, government scientists estimate that more than 90% of Americans have detectable levels of the substance in their bodies.
Over time, exposure to BPA has become associated with a variety of health concerns, including developmental and reproductive problems.
To better understand the effects, researchers exposed rodents to the chemicals in the lab. They found that it causes oxidative stress, an imbalance between the body’s natural antioxidant defenses and unstable, highly reactive molecules known as free radicals that can damage healthy cells.
The effects on rodent sperm were immediate. Within just a week of exposure to BPA, scientists observed a spike in free radical production in swimming animals.
By 8 weeks, the damage became more pronounced. The sperm wasn’t moving well on several important criteria, including speed and the subtle “head movements” that help guide the sperm toward the egg and perform its role in fertilization.
Free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants, so the research team set out to find compounds that could help reduce the oxidative stress caused by BPA in sperm.
That search led them to a new category of supplements known as paraprobiotics. The FK-23 stands out among them.
FK-23 is derived from a type of bacteria known as FK-23. Enterococcus faecalis It naturally lives in the human digestive tract and is commonly found in feces.
While in the intestines, they are usually harmless and help support digestion and the immune system. However, if it leaks from the intestines or grows excessively, it can cause infections in other parts of the body.
That’s why scientists don’t use live bacteria when manufacturing FK-23. Instead, the microorganisms are grown in a laboratory and then killed with heat.
This process preserves the structural components that are thought to cause beneficial effects in the body, while preventing their proliferation and sources of infection.
Researchers believe this may work through something known as the gut-immune axis, a two-way communication system between the gastrointestinal tract and the rest of the body that can influence inflammation and oxidative stress.
To test its effects on sperm already damaged by BPA, researchers gave FK-23 to rodents. They found that sperm movement improved despite continued exposure to the chemical, and signs of cellular stress in reproductive tissues were significantly reduced.
“These findings suggest that components derived from lactic acid bacteria have protective effects against reproductive toxicity caused by environmental chemicals,” Yukiko Minamiyama, a visiting professor at OMU Graduate School of Medicine who led the research team, said in a press release.
Looking forward, the researchers said further research is needed to determine exactly how the gut causes these effects, and to see if the same results occur in humans.
If so, Minamiyama said, it could “open the way” to using nutritional supplements as a way to support reproductive health.
The findings come as the presence of BPA in consumer products has declined over the past decade.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has banned its use in baby bottles and sippy cups, and many manufacturers are switching to “BPA-free” plastics.
However, BPA is still allowed in other food contact materials and certain consumer products. FDA maintains that trace amounts that may leach from these products are not harmful, based on current evidence.
Other parts of the world have taken a more stringent approach. For example, the European Union has banned the use of BPA in food containers.
Beyond its potential effects on sperm, scientists have also linked the chemical to a variety of other health concerns, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, early puberty, immune system dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
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