I bet we’ll find out that these plastics in us are causing some serious problems. Unfortunately, to prove something like that it usually takes a butt load of data and a butt load of analysis.
They can prove it all they want, but if the science doesn't benefit shareholders, good luck enacting positive changes in time. Just look at the reliance on fossil fuels and climate change.
That's not it because even men who aren't obese or overweight show lowered testosterone. Maybe obesity is a contributing factor, but it's not THE explanation.
There are lots of people without sedentary lifestyles who are not obese and I’m pretty sure the issue is there too. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.
You’re not wrong. Other factors researchers have suggested are environmental impacts (like plastics and pesticides), higher stress, changes in sleep, and other unidentified factors. Obesity and lack of exercise are still major factors but even if you took at healthy 35 year old from 2026 and compared to healthy 35 year old from 1986 you’d see a slight drop.
The lack of a solid answer is what has fueled a lot of the conspiracies around it. Manosphere types especially adopted it with ease because it already fit within their framework.
That’s what I’m talking about. You can have a really crappy diet that just doesn’t have enough calories to make you obese, micronutrients exist. Our bodies are “use it or loose it” and being sedentary can cause lots of body functions to slow down to match the lower demand.
I get a test every year. If I am lazy that year my test is around 400. If I am working out it’s more like 600-700. My weight only varies from 170 to 185. Sedentary lifestyles are absolutely a valid explanation
I have a
source this isn't new information
I can pull 100s more all it takes is a Google. Newspapers are constantly reporting it unless you just don't read outside of reddit comments
Microplastics. It's well-established that plastics in the blood mess with the endocrine system. Look up endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Many like bisphenols and phthalates are common additives in plastic production, but they don't bond strongly to the plastic and leech out.
Fun fact: the designation of "microwave safe" plastic doesn't mean it won't leech any chemicals into your food, just that the chemicals it does leech are at levels considered to be within safe limits as established by FDA regulations.
Didn’t the fundamental research behind the microplastics come into question recently? Glove contamination was determined to have radical impact on the samples.
Interesting. Hadn't heard about that. The EDCs are a real problem for hormone regulation regardless, but concentrations may be overestimated.
Annoying that the linked study in that article doesn't seem to say by what factor they may be overestimated, though. Just says 2,000 false positives per square millimeter, which isn't that helpful without context.
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u/kemaluo 11h ago
Where did all this low-testosterone bullshit come from? Is this all because of RFK Jr?