Chemicals linked to Suppression of Male Sexual Development
Everyone acknowledges there’s a sharp rise in people who believe they are “trans.” Many people think of it as a sort of social contagion, many think it’s due to brainwashing or confusing children at a young age. There have been some claims– including by Robert F Kennedy, Jr., that “atrazine” in the water is causing feminization of males– not as far-out a theory as you might think from the initial sound of it, since it’s been proven to cause dysfunction and sexuality/genital abnormality in the amphibians nearby. More information on this here.
This press release showed up in my inbox this morning, and I thought it interesting enough to share– is this also a connection among all the other factors?
Prenatal Exposure to Phthalate Chemicals Linked to Developmental Issues in Toddler Boys, According to Hebrew University ResearchersJERUSALEM, August 30, 2023 – Chemicals used in hundreds of products known as phthalates have been linked to emotional and behavioral development issues in 24-month-old-boys who were exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy, according to a new study by Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) researchers. “Our findings, published in NeuroToxicology, underscore the potential impact of maternal exposure to phthalates on children’s emotional and behavioral development, particularly among boys,” says Liron Cohen-Eliraz, a Ph.D. student who conducted the research as part of her dissertation. “Our study adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting the need for greater environmental awareness and action to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals during pregnancy.” Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. Known as the “everywhere plastic,” the ubiquitous chemical is used in vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays) and elsewhere. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates cross the placenta and, when absorbed into the prenatal body, can either mimic or block female hormones, or in males, suppress the hormones involved in male sexual development (emphasis mine). The study involved recruiting pregnant women between 11 and 18 weeks of gestation, and analyzing their spot urine samples for phthalate metabolites (DEHP, DiNP and MBzBP). The researchers later assessed developmental and behavioral offspring progress at 24 months of age using well-established maternal report measures including CBCL, ASQ-3, and HOME questionnaires. The results revealed noteworthy gender-specific associations. Specifically, the study found that boys exposed to higher DEHP levels during the first trimester had lower developmental scores in personal social abilities, as measured by the ASQ-3 questionnaire. Moreover, these toddler aged boys exhibited higher in internalizing, including emotionally reactive, anxiety or depression scores, and somatic complaints, as well as externalizing problems. Although phthalates were found in 98% of the mother’s urine specimens, no differences were observed in high or low levels of girls’ exposure to varied DEHP levels during pregnancy. Continued research in this field is crucial to further understand the long-term implications of endocrine disrupting chemicals on human health and development. Cohen-Eliraz’s dissertation was supervised by Hebrew University professors Dr. Tammy Piowsky-Peleg of the Department of Psychology and Ronit Calderon-Margalit of the Braun School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine. This work was supported by Israel Science Foundation (grant #RGA 1706/15). The Hebrew University Advanced School of Environmental Studies granted a Ph.D. scholarship to Cohen-Eliraz. Research Team: Liron Cohen-Eliraz (a), Asher Ornoy (c), Eliana Ein-Mor (d), Moriah Bar-Nitsan (a), Tammy Pilowsky Peleg (a, b), Ronit Calderon-Margalit (d) Institutions: a-Psychology Department Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel b-The Neuropsychological Unit, Schneider Children’s Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel c-Department of Medical Neurobiology Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel d-Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah University Medical Center and the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. Serving over 23,000 students from 80 countries, the university produces nearly 40% of Israel’s civilian scientific research and has received over 11,000 patents. Faculty and alumni of the Hebrew University have won eight Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal. For more information about the Hebrew University, please visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en. About American Friends of the Hebrew University American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) is a national, not-for-profit organization based in the United States. AFHU is headquartered in New York and has seven regional offices working in close partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. AFHU provides supporters, Hebrew University alumni, and the public with stimulating programs and events and organizes missions to Israel. The organization’s fundraising activities support scholarly and scientific achievement at the Hebrew University, create scholarships, construct new facilities, and assist the university’s efforts to attract and retain outstanding faculty. For more information, please visit http://www.afhu.org/. Follow American Friends of the Hebrew University on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube |