Description
With the increasing contamination of the environment with metals, chemical toxins and persistent organic pollutants has come an increase in virtually all chronic diseases in all age groups. The reproductive system is particularly susceptible to these toxins resulting in decreased sperm count and quality, impaired egg viability, increased spontaneous abortion and increased fetal abnormalities. In addition, those with the highest toxic load also have increased risk of IVF failure. This presentation reviews the substantial research on toxins and infertility, provides clear guidance on diagnostic methods to assess toxic load and intervention strategies for the most significant toxins which damage male fertility and the toxins most damaging to female fertility.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the significant role of common environmental toxins which damage male and female fertility.
- Become able to recognize which patients are most likely suffering from fertility-damaging toxins.
- Be competent in objective testing of toxic load.
- Develop male- and female-specific toxic load reduction strategies.
Example research:
- Gerhard I, Mongo B, Krahe J, Runnebaum B. Chlorinated hydrocarbons in infertile women. Environ Res Sect A. 1999;80:299-310. PubMed PMID: 10330303
- Chevrier C, Warembourg C, Gaudreau E, et al. Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, seafood consumption, and time-to-pregnancy. Epidemiology. 2013 Mar;24(2):251-60. PubMed PMID: 23348067
- Dolk H, Vrijheid M, Armstrong B, et al. Risk of congenital anomalies near hazardous-waste landfill sites in Europe: the EUROHAZCON study. Lancet. 1998 Aug 8;352(9126):423-7. PubMed PMID: 9708749
- Radwan M, Jurewicz J, Wielgomas B, et al. The association between environmental exposure to pyrethroids and sperm aneuploidy. Chemosphere. 2015;128C:42-48. PubMed PMID: 25655817
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno is one of the world’s leading authorities on science-based natural medicine, a term he coined when founding Bastyr University in 1978. A naturopathic physician, educator, researcher and expert spokesman, he is Editor-in-Chief of PubMed-indexed IMCJ, Treasurer of Board of IFM, board member of the American Herbal Pharmacopeia, and a member of the science boards of the Hecht Foundation, Gateway for Cancer Research and Bioclinic Naturals. He is licensed in Washington State (NT00000369 since 1975) and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors such as the Linus Pauling Award by the Institute for Functional Medicine, Holistic Medicine Pioneer by the American Holistic Medicine Association and Naturopathic Physician of the Year by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
Appointed by Presidents Clinton and Bush to two prestigious commissions advising the US government on how to integrate natural medicine into the healthcare system and author or co-author of 5 textbooks for doctors including the internationally acclaimed Textbook of Natural Medicine and upcoming Clinical Environmental Medicine and 7 books for consumers, such as the best-selling Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine and recently released, The Toxin Solution, he has been an intellectual, academic and political leader in integrative medicine for four decades.