The common painkillers causing male reproductive problems

 

Dear Reader, If you are a parent or a grandparent, you'll know all too well that pregnancy brings more than its fair share of aches and pains. And many women don't think twice about popping a painkiller like acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen to deal with the discomfort. After all, the marketing for these little over-the-counter bombs has been pretty successful in convincing most of the population that they're safe as candy. But could these women be risking their chances for grandchildren when their own children aren't even out of the womb? New research from Denmark, Finland, and France says that the answer to that question could, sadly, be a big YES. A study published in the European journal Human Reproduction shows that women who use analgesics during the second trimester of pregnancy more than double the risk of giving birth to sons with undescended testicles (cryptorchidism). In fact, ibuprofen and aspirin were associated with a quadrupled risk. Using more than one kind of painkiller simultaneously during the second trimester introduced a 16-fold increased risk of cryptorchidism. Over the course of a pregnancy in general, simultaneous use brought on a seven-fold increased risk. Cryptorchidism is a risk factor for poor semen quality and testicular germ cell cancer. Researchers went so far as to suggest that these "harmless" painkillers might be a big piece of the puzzle in the increase in male reproductive disorders in the past few decades. So, why are these painkillers potentially harmful to an unborn son's later reproductive health? The answer may lie in a rat study that demonstrated that analgesics disrupt the production of androgen, which slashes testosterone supplies during a crucial time in male organ development. Mild analgesics reduced testosterone in the testes of rat foetuses by about half. When it comes to this kind of hormone disruption, the use of painkillers is the largest exposure among pregnant women. In fact, as one researcher pointed out, one acetaminophen tablet "contains more endocrine disruptor potency than the combined exposure to the ten most prevalent of the currently known environmental endocrine disruptors during the whole pregnancy." Continues below... Natural help for high blood pressure Q: Are there any natural remedies for high blood pressure? Dr. Jonathan V. Wright: There are many natural solutions for high blood pressure. One of the most effective methods I've come across during the last few years is vitamin D. I've observed significant reductions in blood pressure in people I've worked with when they take vitamin D supplements. You see, without adequate vitamin D, one of your genes (a tiny part of your DNA) initiates the formation of excess quantities of a molecule called renin. Renin breaks down another molecule, called angiotensinogen, into angiotensin I. Angiotensin I is converted into angiotensin II by a substance known as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). The end result — angiotensin II — is the "bad stuff" that (in excess amounts) causes high blood pressure. Most popular patented "space alien" antihypertensives are ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). But vitamin D does a better job than those patent meds because it targets the problem at the most basic genetic level. In its fully activated form, vitamin D persuades the gene that controls renin production to become less active. When less renin is produced, less of all the "intermediates" listed above are produced, and the end result is less angiotensin II and lower blood pressure. That means that something as simple as vitamin D supplementation could make ACE inhibitors (and those ARBs) unnecessary. While it is possible to take too much vitamin D, recent research has re-evaluated the safe upper limit for this vitamin, and many experts now agree that it's 10,000 IU daily. My target for optimal vitamin D intake is whatever it takes to achieve a serum level of approximately 60 ng/ml (the level people in the tropics — who have significantly less hypertension than people living further away from the Equator — generally have). If you want to try an "optimal-vitamin-D" approach to reducing your blood pressure, it's always best to work with your doctor to monitor your blood level of vitamin D. And be patient: it frequently takes two to three months for significant changes to start taking place and six to eight months for the vitamin D to take full effect. Bear in mind we are not addressing anyone's personal situation and you should rely on this for informational purposes only. Please consult with your own doctor before acting on any recommendations contained herein.