Mastodawn

MicroWave Nov 16, 2023

Global decline in male fertility linked to common pesticides

https://lemmy.world/post/8330996

Global decline in male fertility linked to common pesticides - Lemmy.World

A prolonged decline in male fertility in the form of sperm concentrations appears to be connected to the use of pesticides, according to a study published Wednesday. Researchers compiled, rated and reviewed the results of 25 studies of certain pesticides and male fertility and found that men who had been exposed to certain classes of pesticides had significantly lower sperm concentrations. The study, published Wednesday in Environmental Health Perspectives, included data from more than 1,700 men and spanned several decades. “No matter how we looked at the analysis and results, we saw a persistent association between increasing levels of insecticide and decreases in sperm concentration,” said study author Melissa Perry, who is an environmental epidemiologist and the dean of the College of Public Health at George Mason University. “I would hope this study would get the attention of regulators seeking to make decisions to keep the public safe from inadvertent, unplanned impacts of insecticides.”

Well shit, what can we do?

Organic food only maybe

jmcs Nov 16, 2023

That’s one solution, but even being more careful with what pesticides are used would help in this case (though it would still be devastating for the insect population and will come back to bite us in other ways)?

mihnt Nov 16, 2023

They still use pesticides growing organic food.

BolexForSoup Nov 16, 2023

Just like one can’t assume no pesticides because it’s “organic,” one also can’t assume all organic growing involves pesticides. Your comment is a bit ambiguous so just want to make not clear to folks that It’s entirely case by case.

Basically organic farms can use pesticides.

bluGill Nov 16, 2023

Conventional farms do not have to use pesticides as well.

el_twitto Nov 16, 2023

Source?

quindraco Nov 16, 2023

You want a source on the definition of organic food? That’s tough, since there’s no one standard definition - different people mean different things by the term.

Here is a source for organic foods being defined largely by avoiding synthetic substances. That means all “natural” or non-synthetic pesticides would be allowed and hence expected. Of course, I can find you another source with a competing definition.

Ultimately, because “organic” means whatever the speaker wants it to mean at the time, it’s impossible to really have a rational discussion about whether or not organic farms use pesticides.

Organic 101: Allowed and Prohibited Substances

This is the second installment of the Organic 101 series that explores different aspects of the USDA organic regulations. Organic standards are designed to allow natural substances in organic farming while prohibiting synthetic substances. The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances—a component of the organic standards—lists the exceptions to this basic rule.

clockwork_octopus Nov 16, 2023

Jesus, dude, just search for it yourself, it’s not that difficult

organic doesn’t mean pesticide free

Pesticide Ingredients Used in Organic Agriculture

MindSkipperBro12 Nov 17, 2023

He made the claim, he must back it up.

mihnt Nov 17, 2023

I think everyone has it covered for me. Besides it being common sense.

SelfAwareCoder Nov 16, 2023

Organic food typically has more pesticides, since gmos are often attempting to remove the need for pesticides

Jajcus Nov 16, 2023

Also organic farming relies on old types of pesticides instead of the modern ones which are designed to be more effective and safe.

steal_your_face Nov 16, 2023

Have a source for this?

seth Nov 17, 2023

FDA, EPA, and the Department of Agriculture. Pesticides and drugs are both heavily regulated and new ones do not gain approval or even make it through early test phases unless and until they can demonstrate equivalent or better efficacy compared to existing alternatives, with equivalent or fewer side effects and environmental hazards.

el_twitto Nov 16, 2023

Source?

wildginger Nov 16, 2023

Any farmer? Including me?

Organic is nebulous, first off. But depending on your region, the organic label just makes some specific pesticides off limits. Which means we over apply the stuff we can use.

There isnt a modern produce company on the planet who doesnt use pesticides. You cant compete otherwise. Only pesticide free foods are locally grown by very very very small gardens and farms.

HeartyBeast Nov 16, 2023

This depends very much on the country you are in - perhaps that's the way it works in the US. But in the UK Soil Association standards limits the kin dof permissable pesitcides and how they are used quite strictly: https://www.soilassociation.org/media/23378/gb-farming-growing.pdf - see page 63 onward