A leading fertility scientist has advised people to ‘never’ microwave food in plastic containers due to its potential impact on fertility.
Dr. Shanna Swan is a respected expert on substances called endocrine disruptors, which wreak havoc on the body’s hormones and, as a result, our reproductive health.
Speaking on a popular health podcast, the epidemiologist recently urged people not to microwave food in plastic containers due to the risk of these chemicals leaching into the food.
“Never put plastic in the microwave,” she said.
‘The BPA, phthalates and plasticizers are added to the plastic, but are not chemically bound to it.
“So if you put something in a container that has these chemicals in it and then put it in a warm environment, they come out of the plastic and go into the food.”
BPA, short for bisphenol A, and phthalates are sometimes added to plastics as part of the manufacturing process to make them more durable.
Multiple studies link consumption of these chemicals to fertility problems, although regulators say current evidence suggests that the level of exposure the average person faces in everyday life is safe.
A leading scientist studying the impact of environmental toxins on human reproduction has advised people to ‘never’ follow a regular cooking habit
Dr. Shanna Swan is a respected expert on substances called endocrine disruptors, which wreak havoc on the body’s hormones, which in turn are a crucial part of determining our fertility.
However, experts like Dr. Swan are increasingly concerned about the impact the chemicals can have on reproductive health, such as lowering sperm count and sperm quality in men.
Speaking about the Huberman Lab Podcastshe warned about the risks of combining heat sources and plastic.
Dr. Swan, who works at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said this even includes leaving a bottle of water in the car on a sunny day.
“You don’t want to mix these chemicals with your food, but if you do, the worst thing you can do is put it in a heated environment.”
When asked by host neuroscientist Andrew Huberman how to reduce exposure to harmful plastics, Dr. Swan that food intake is an important source.
“If you can afford it, buy organic,” she recommended, in part to avoid pesticides, which can be another source of phthalates.
BPA, as well as similar materials such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF), have been linked not only to fertility problems, but also to an increased risk of certain cancers.
It is said that BPA can chemically ‘mimic’ the female sex hormone estrogen, which in high doses can potentially disrupt normal hormone balance, which is thought to fuel tumors.
Phthalates are also believed to harm fertility due to disrupting hormones, especially the male sex hormone testosterone. However, there is some evidence that women’s ovaries are also negatively affected.
As concerns grow about exposure to these chemicals, UK food safety regulators say current evidence suggests current exposure levels are ‘not currently considered to be harmful’.
However, the Food Standards Agency is currently conducting a review of data surrounding BPA in response to new research.
Some restrictions on the use of BPA and phthalates have already been introduced in Britain due to health concerns.
Regulators have banned BPA in items intended for use by babies and young children, such as feeding bottles.
And a number of specific phthalates are banned for use in UK food packaging.
Exposure to endocrine disruptors has been suggested as a potential factor for a global decline in fertility rates.
Experts like Dr. Swan are increasingly concerned about the impact the chemicals can have on reproductive health, such as lowering sperm count and sperm quality in men.
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Dr. Huberman, who works at Stanford University, shares health advice with his 6 million Instagram followers and 5.2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Huberman Lab.
He is known for his macho attitude and self-improvement videos tailored to men, and is considered by some to be one of the top “bro science” influencers – a category of science-themed social media content aimed at men.
But this website discovered earlier this year that the health influencer was being paid by 15 wellness brands to promote products that make health-promoting promises that experts said were based on “a nugget of truth.”
These include the $124 sleep supplements that claim to help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, and a $79 energy-boosting powder containing excess vitamins that experts said would end up in the toilet.
Experts accused Dr. Huberman also of “exploitative” marketing tactics, including convincing people to spend money on pills that they say are “potentially dangerous” because of the risks of interactions with other commonly used medications.
He has also faced accusations of “love rat” behavior, including that he dated five women at the same time, and contracted a sexually transmitted infection from one.