TY - JOUR

T1 - Use of personal care products and semen quality

T2 - A cross-sectional study in young Danish men

AU - Petersen, Kajsa Ugelvig

AU - Balkiss, Ahmad Mahmoud

AU - Hærvig, Katia Keglberg

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde

AU - Hougaard, Karin Sørig

AU - Toft, Gunnar

AU - Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

AU - Tøttenborg, Sandra Søgaard

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Personal care products (PCPs) may contain multiple chemicals capable of harming male reproductive function. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess aggregated PCP exposure and potential associations with measures of semen quality in young men. Participants (n = 1058, age 18-21) were sampled among young men from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Upon recruitment in 2017-2019, each man answered an online questionnaire and provided a semen sample. Exposure to 12 common types of PCPs was derived from the questionnaire, and the extent of use and co-use was analyzed. We applied a negative binomial regression model to estimate percentage differences in semen parameters between low, medium and high PCP exposure groups. All participants were exposed to at least one PCP more than once a week, resulting in a mean number (SD) of 5.3 (2.0) PCPs currently used. Most participants (92%) were also exposed to fragranced products on a weekly basis. Little association was observed between aggregated exposure to PCPs and sperm concentration, total sperm count, semen volume, sperm motility and morphology. Despite prevalent use of multiple PCPs, we found little indication of adverse effects of aggregated overall or fragranced PCP exposure on semen quality.

AB - Personal care products (PCPs) may contain multiple chemicals capable of harming male reproductive function. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess aggregated PCP exposure and potential associations with measures of semen quality in young men. Participants (n = 1058, age 18-21) were sampled among young men from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Upon recruitment in 2017-2019, each man answered an online questionnaire and provided a semen sample. Exposure to 12 common types of PCPs was derived from the questionnaire, and the extent of use and co-use was analyzed. We applied a negative binomial regression model to estimate percentage differences in semen parameters between low, medium and high PCP exposure groups. All participants were exposed to at least one PCP more than once a week, resulting in a mean number (SD) of 5.3 (2.0) PCPs currently used. Most participants (92%) were also exposed to fragranced products on a weekly basis. Little association was observed between aggregated exposure to PCPs and sperm concentration, total sperm count, semen volume, sperm motility and morphology. Despite prevalent use of multiple PCPs, we found little indication of adverse effects of aggregated overall or fragranced PCP exposure on semen quality.

KW - Cohort

KW - Cosmetics

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Male infertility

KW - Personal care products

KW - Reproductive health

KW - Semen quality

U2 - 10.3390/TOXICS8030062

DO - 10.3390/TOXICS8030062

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85090848874

VL - 8

JO - Toxics

JF - Toxics

SN - 2305-6304

IS - 3

M1 - 62

ER -