>> DID YOU EVER THINK THAT WHAT YOUR FOOD COMES WRAPPED IN MAY BE A FACTOR IN WHY YOU CAN'T GET PREGNANT?

IF NOT, THEN STAY WITH US AS WE TALK TO Dr. PATRICK HANNON ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS AND FERTILITY NEXT ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

UP TO 15% OF HETEROSEXUAL COUPLES TRYING TO GET PREGNANT ARE INFERTILE, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT HAS LINKED SEVERAL CAUSATIVE FACTORS INCLUDING OBESITY, STRENUOUS PHYSICAL LABOR, EXCESSIVE EXERCISE, SUBSTANCE USE, HEAVY DRINKING AND HIGH BLUEPRINT.

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION IN THE ENVIRONMENT CAN AFFECT MALE AND FEMALE FERTILITY.

THESE POLLUTANTS ASSOCIATED WITH INFERTILITY ARE CLASSIFIED AS ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS.

E.D.C.S CAN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, INTERFERE WITH NORMAL OVARIAN FUNCTION AND THIS MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT FERTILITY.

THESE CHEMICALS ARE UBIQUITOUS AND FOUND IN ANT ARTICULATE 25.

E.D.C.

INCLUDE HERBIVORES AND PESTICIDE, FLAME RETARDANTS FOUND IN COMMON HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, CLOTHING AND ELECTRONIC ITEMS PFOS AND THINGS FOUND IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONTAINERS, PLASTIC WRAPS AMONG OTHER THINGS.. TO HELP US GET A HANDLE AROUND HOW ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS AND IN PARTICULAR ILL AFFECTS FERTILITY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

HE IS CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE U.K. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY.

Dr. HANNON WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES, WITH ITS ANNUAL OUTSTANDING NEW ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AWARD.

THIS AWARD RECOGNIZED HIS COMMITMENT TO INVESTIGATING HOW EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SUCH AS TADAID DISRUPT OVULATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN WOMEN.

>> DID THEY CARRY YOU ON THEIR SHOULDER AROUND THE LAB AND THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY?

>> I WISH THEY DID.

BUT I RECEIVE SEVERAL ACCOLADES SO I'M VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT.

>> HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE CHEMICALS YOU DEAL WITH?

THAT HAS TO BE THE BIGGEST STUMBLING BLOCK FOR ME?

IT IS.

I HAVE BEEN IN SEMINARS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THESE WORDS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND LOOK OVER TO THEIR PEERS AND SAY HOW DO WE PRONOUNCE THAT, SO IT'S DO WE PRONOUNCE THAT, SO IT'S COMMON EVEN AMONGST US ACADEMICS.

>> THAT'S WHY PFOAS.

>> INFERTILITY IS CLASSICALLY DEFINED AS THE INABILITY TO CONCEIVE AND PRODUCE YOUNG.

IT'S MORE THOUGHT TO BE THAT IF YOU ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO CONCEIVE, AND YOU ARE NOT GETTING PREGNANT WITHIN 12 MONTHS, THERE IS MALE FACTOR ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO INFERTILITY.

THERE ARE FEMALE FACTOR ISSUES.

AND THEN THERE ARE ISSUES THAT WE ARE JUST NOT AWARE OF.

AND SO WE GIVE ABOUT 12 MONTHS BEFORE WE TELL INDIVIDUALS WHO MAYBE SEEK EVALUATION FOR THEIR FERTILITY STATUS.

AND AS WOMEN AGE, BEYOND THE AGE OF 35, WE ACTUALLY EXPEDITE THAT TO ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF TRYING TO CONCEIVE WITHOUT A YOUNG.

>> ON THE WHOLE, IF YOU WOULD HAVE TO GUESS, HOW OFTEN IS IT A MALE PROBLEM VERSUS A FEMALE PROBLEM?

>> YEAH, SO IT'S HARD TO SAY FOR SURE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL UNDERLYING ISSUES, BUT IT'S CLASSICALLY THOUGHT ABOUT 40% OF ALL CASES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE MALE.

40% TO THE FEMALE.

20% UNKNOWN.

>> FEAR WOULD BE THE OTHER 20%.

>> EXACTLY.

>> IS THERE A STRESS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T SUCCEED, THEY DON'T SUCCEED, AND THEY TRY TO KEEP DOING IT, DOES IT SUDDENLY BECOME A SELF-DEFEATING PROPHECY AT THAT POINT?

>> IT DEFINITELY DOES.

I THINK WHAT HAS BEEN SHOWN IS THAT HIGH STRESS CAN INFLUENCE FERTILITY.

HIGH STRESS INDIVIDUALS OFTEN ARE NOT CONCEIVING AS THEY NATURALLY WOULD.

STRESS CAN MANIFEST IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS AND CAN AFFECT THE HORMONES IN THE BODY.

>> ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL NAME.

BREAK IT DOWN FOR ME.

>> ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS ARE MANMADE SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS OR NATURAL CHEMICALS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT DO EXACTLY WHAT THEIR NAME IMPLIES.

THEY DISRUPT THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM, IT'S A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT SEVERAL ORGAN SYSTEMS THAT PRODUCE HORMONES THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

THEY ARE OFTEN ORGANS THAT RESPOND TO THOSE HORMONES AS WELL.

AND IT'S VERY TIGHTLY REGULATED THE WAY THAT THE HORMONES ACT WITHIN THE BODY.

AND SO WHAT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS ARE, ARE THOSE THAT MAY DECREASE THE LEVELS OF THE NATURAL HORMONES.

THEY MAY ACT LIKE THE NATURAL HORMONES IN THE BODY, THUS TRICKING YOUR BODY INTO THINKING HEY, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF THIS HORMONE AVAILABLE.

WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANYMORE.

BUT THEY COULD ALSO ANTAGONIZE THE WAY THAT THESE NATURAL OR HORMONES WORK.

BY DOING SO, IT'S INTERFERING WITH HOW THE NATURAL HORMONE WOULD FUNCTION WITHIN THE BODY.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER WAYS THAT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS CAN FUNCTION.

THEY CAN DECREASE OR IMPAIR TRANSPORT OR HONE HORMONES THROUGHOUT THE BODY AND DISRUPT THE WAY THEY ARE ACT UPON.

I LIKE TO BE CLEAR WITH THE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEM IN GENERAL, IT IS SO TIGHTLY REGULATED, DELICATELY BALANCED THAT SMALL FLUCTUATIONS EVEN IN THE NORMAL BODY, CAN HAVE PROFOUND IMPACTS ON THE WAY OUR BODY FUNCTIONS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS AND THEIR ABILITY TO INTERFERE WITH HOW THE NATURAL HORMONES WORK, EVEN SMALL LEVELS OF THESE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS CAN HAVE PROFOUND TOXIC EFFECTS WITHIN THE BODY.

>> ARE THEY MIMICKING THESE NATURALLY OCCURRING MOLECULES?

THE ENDOCRINE SECRETIONS OR ARE THEY TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

>> SOME CAN.

SOME DISRUPTING CHEMICALS ACT LIKE THE NATURAL HORMONE.

SOME CHEMICALS ACT LIKE ESTROGEN OR TESTOSTERONE AND BIND TO THE SAME RECEPTORS AND PERFORM ALMOST THE SAME.

SOME ACT SOMEWHAT SIMILARLY BUT DIFFERENTLY SO THAT IT CAN BIND TO THE RECEPTOR, BUT NOW THE RECEPTOR ISN'T FUNCTIONING LIKE IT NORMALLY WOULD IF THE HORMONE WERE BOUND TO IT.

BUT MOST COMMONLY WHAT WE SEE IS THE FLUCTUATIONS IN HORMONE LEVELS, THE DECREASED PRODUCTION OF THESE CRITICAL HORMONES BY SOME OF THE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS.

THEY MAY MIMIC, ANTAGONIZE OR JUST DECREASE THE FUNCTION OF THESE HORMONES.

>> ARE THEY ALWAYS SYNTHETIC MATERIALS OR MANMADE THINGS?

OR ARE THERE SOME NATURAL PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT CAN DO THE SAME THING?

>> YEAH, THERE ARE SOME NATURAL PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT CAN INTERFERE WITH THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM.

HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS IN SOME OF OUR WATER SYSTEMS THAT CAN HAVE E.D.C.-LIKE DISRUPTING EFFECTS.

>> I REMEMBER THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT PHYTO ESTROGENS IN PLANTS LIKE SOY BEANS.

IS THAT STILL A THING.

>> THAT IS STILL A THING.

SOY IS MIMICKING ESTROGEN IN A WAY, AND WE ARE FINDING THAT SOME OF THESE NATURAL.

>> TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE CHEMICALS.

WHAT ARE THE MORE COMMON ONES WE COME ACROSS AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THEM SPECIFICALLY LATER.

>> I HAVE A BIAS TOWARD PHTHALATES.

I HAVE DEDICATED MY RESEARCH ON FEMALE FERTILITY AND WHAT THEY ARE BOTH PLASTICIZERS AND SOLVENTS INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTS WE ARE USING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO PLASTICIZERS, THEY'RE BEING INCORPORATED AS THEY MAKE PLASTICS MORE FLEXIBLE.

POLYCHLORIDE PLASTICS TO IMPART FLEXIBILITY AND IN SOLVENTS THEY ARE USED IN COSMETIC AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS LIKE HAIRSPRAY, MAKEUP, HAIR POLISH, PERFUMES.

THEY'RE A HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING I'M VERY INTERESTED IN BUT WE ALSO HAVE THINGS THESE B.P.A.

IS A HOT TOPIC RECENTLY.

>> THAT IS THE MATERIAL IN OUR WATER BOTTLES?

>> EXACTLY.

AND SO SAME WITH PHTHALATES.

THEY'RE INCORPORATED IN OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONTAINERS AS WELL.

THE DIFFERENT PLASTICS USED ARE LEADING TO EXPOSURE TO THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHEMICALS.

YOU MENTIONED IN THE LEAD-IN, THE PER AND POLYFLORAL SUBSTANCES, PFAS ARE A HOT TOPIC, ESPECIALLY HERE IN KENTUCKY.

MAKING THEIR WAY INTO OUR DRINKING WATER SO P TOES ARE A PFOS ARE A BIG ONE.

AND THEN WE HAVE PESTICIDES AND FLAME RETARDANTS.

THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED BUT STILL HAVING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING EFFECTS IN THE BODY.

>> GIVEN THAT THESE THINGS CAN ACT OR MIMIC OR DISRUPT SOME OF THE HORMONES, WHO IS REGULATING THIS STUFF?

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, VERY COMPLICATED ANSWER IS BOTH THE FDA, THE E.P.A.

BUT IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR CUT.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE FDA REGULATING THINGS THAT ARE BEING DIRECTLY PUT INSIDE OF OUR FOOD AND IN OUR DRUGS, IT'S VERY CLEAR CUT IN THAT SENSE.

IF IT'S IN THE FOOD, IT NEEDS TO BE REGULATED.

BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FOOD PACKAGING, AND EVEN THINGS LIKE COSMETICS, IT'S NOT AS HIGHLY REGULATED SO WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT PHTHALATES, FDA WAS BANNED IN CHILDREN'S TOYS.

SO CHILDREN ARE VERY VULNERABLE POPULATION SMALLER THAN ADULTS WHEN THEY'RE USING A TOY OR A PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS A HIGH LEVEL OF A CHEMICAL, THEIR BODY TAKES IT ON MORE.

THE FDA BANNED PHTHALATES UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL IN THESE CHILDREN TOYS.

AND THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO MITIGATE EXPOSURE.

THEY DO NOT ALLOW THEM DIRECTLY INTO OUR FOOD, BUT THERE IS LESS REGULATION ON HOW PHTHALATES AND HOW IT IS STORED.

IN THINGS LIKE COSMETICS.

LITTLE REGULATION IN OUR COSMETIC PRODUCTS.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT BANNING THINGS IN A CHILD'S TOY BUT LET'S BE HONEST: THE CHILD DOES NOT JUST BREATHE OR CHEW ON TOYS BUT ON ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO HALF HEARTED EFFORT?

>> I THINK THESE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE DOING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

CERTAIN THRESHOLDS NEED TO BE MET FOR THESE CHEMICALS TO BE OUTRIGHT BANNED OR LIMITED, BUT AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO OUR WORK AND SEVERAL LABS BOTH AT U.K. AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EVEN, AS WE ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECT OF THESE CHEMICALS, THE FDA, E.P.A.

ARE TAKING NOTE AND I THINK HOPEFULLY THESE VERY HARMFUL CHEMICALS WILL BE-- THEIR USE WILL BE CURBED IN THE FUTURE.

>> I DON'T WANT TO SCARE PEOPLE, BUT LET'S GO THROUGH SOME REALITY HERE.

WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THESE PHTHALATES NOT BEING IN OUR FOOD BUT THE FOOD IS WRAPPED IN THE MATERIAL THAT CONTAIN THESE PHTHALATES INCLUDING THE CLAM SHELL STYROFOAM THINGS, THAT HAS TO SCARE YOU.

YES, THE FOOD MAY NOT HAVE IT IN IT, BUT IT SURE IS GETTING IT ON THERE.

>> YES, AND IT'S DEFINITELY TRUE BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUINGLY BEING ABLE TO MEASURE THE LEVELS OF PHTHALATES IN HUMANS.

WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE IT IN THE FOOD DIRECTLY, IT IS CLEAR IT IS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSING OF THE FOOD BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE INGESTING IS LEADING TO MEASURABLE LEVELS OF PHTHALATES IN OUR BODY SO IT IS A SCARY THING TO THINK ABOUT.

SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN WE ARE MAKING THESE REGULATORY DECISIONS.

>> I REMEMBER SOMEONE TOLD ME ONCE BEFORE, YOU CAN'T WEAR A WHITE DRESS IN A MUDDY FIELD AND NOT EXPECT TO GET DIRTY.

SAME THING WITH PHTHALATES.

SO YOU GO TO YOUR FAVORITE FAST FOOD OR TAKEOUT RESTAURANT AND YOU COME HOME WITH YOUR STYROFOAM CONTAINER OF FOOD.

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, YOU TAKE THE OVEN AND PUT IT ON WARM UP.

AND I HAVE DONE MYSELF IN, HAVEN'T I?

>> THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST WAY TO EXPOSURES TO THESE HARMFUL CHEMICALS.

THINGS THAT ARE STORED IN PLASTIC AND PUTTING THEM STRAIGHT IN THE MICROWAVE IS THE EASIEST WAY FOR THE CHEMICALS TO LEACH FROM THOSE PLASTICS AND CONTAINERS DIRECTLY INTO THE FOOD WE ARE CONSUMING.

>> BACK WHEN WE HAD COVID WE TALKED ABOUT WIPING DOWN THE SURFACE.

PROBABLY THE BEST THING TO DO, TAKE THE FOOD OUT OF THE WRAPPERS OR WHATEVER AND JUST LEAVE IT THERE.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> SO ARE PHTHALATES FOREVER?

WE HAVE THE FOREVER PFOS CHEMICALS.

ARE PHTHALATES IN THE SAME REALM, FOREVER IN OUR BODIES?

>> VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.

THE PFOAS ARE CHEMICALLY FOREVER BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY STABLE, PERSIST IN THE ENVIRONMENT SO THEY'RE FOUND IN SOIL AND THE PLANTS THAT ANIMALS ARE INGESTING.

THEY MIGRATE INTO OUR WATERWAYS.

SO WE ARE DRINKING THEM IN OUR DRINKING WATER.

AND THEY DON'T REALLY BREAK DOWN IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

WELL, EVEN WORSE, THEY DON'T BREAK DOWN IN OUR BODIES EITHER.

THESE PFOAS, BECAUSE OF HOW CHEMICALLY STABLE THEY ARE.

THEY'RE CONSIDERED FOREVER CHEMICALS BECAUSE THEY'RE FOREVER AROUND.

THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES THAT HAVE BEEN BANNED BY THE FDA AND THE E.P.A.

A LONG TIME AGO BUT WE CAN STILL MEASURE THEIR LEVELS, MEANING IT'S PERSISTENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT OR IT'S LINGERING IN OUR BODY.

NOW, I CONSIDER PHTHALATES TO BE A LITTLE MORE RESEMBLING FOREVER CHEMICALS, PERHAPS PSEUDO FOREVER CHEMICALS BECAUSE THEY'RE A BIT DIFFERENT THAN PFOAS IN THE SENSETHAT THEY'RE RAPIDLY METABOLIZED AND EXCRETED.

WHEN WE MICROWAVE OUR GOOD AND EAT THEM, OUR BODY DOES A GOOD JOB GETTING RID OF THE PHTHALATES IN OUR BODY.

BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET IF YOU MEASURED PHTHALATES IN ANY INDIVIDUAL IN THE UNITED STATES, ON ANY GIVEN DAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE ARE GOING TO BE MEASURABLE LEVELS OF PHTHALATES SO THEY'RE RESEMBLING FOREVER IN THE SENSE THAT THEY MAY NOT BE STABLE CHEMICALLY, BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY AND UBIQUITOUSLY EXPOSED TO THEM.

>> SINCE THIS IS A MANMADE PRODUCT, I WOULD IMAGINE OUR BODY DOESN'T HAVE A NATURAL SYSTEM FOR BREAKING THESE THINGS DOWN.

HOW ARE WE GETTING RID OF THIS MATERIAL?

>> WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB AS HUMANS IN OUR DEVELOPMENT OF HAVING A LOT OF ENZYMES IN OUR BODIES THAT ARE JUST NATURALLY GOOD AT BREAKING THINGS DOWN, TAKING IN FOREIGN SUBSTANCES AND BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS FOREIGN AND TRANSFORMING THEM IN A BETTER WAY TO GET THEM OUT OF OUR BODIES.

SO IT IS AN INTERESTING PHENOMENON THAT THESE ARE BRAND NEW THINGS THAT OUR BODIES HAVE NEVER SEEN, BUT NOW WE DO STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BREAK THEM DOWN.

>> SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN THE HUMAN WHO CAN BREAK DOWN THE PLATS TICKS AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO SURVIVE, THEIR GENES WILL BE THE ONES THAT CARRY ON?

>> IT IS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE POPULATION SPECIFIC SUSCEPTABILITY TO DIFFERENT CHEMICALS.

CERTAIN POPULATIONS EXPOSED TO THE SAME CHEMICAL MAY ACT OR MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT EFFECT THAN OTHER POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE.

SIMPLY BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE IN GENETICS AND THEIR BODY'S ABILITY TO WITH STAND THIS TOXICANT AND METABOLIZE IT.

>> I WANT TO AVOID PHTHALATE, PFOSAND THE OTHER CHEMICALS.

CAN I DO IT?

>> YOU CAN TO AN EXTENT.

THE RECOMMENDATION I USUALLY GIVE IS THAT WE ARE NOT STORING OUR FOOD IN PLASTICS.

WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT MICROWAVING OUR FOOD IN PLASTICS.

OUR PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE NOT LEAVING THEM IN THE CAR BECAUSE THAT EXCESS HEAT, UV RAYS FROM THE SUN IS GOING TO LEACH CHEMICALS LIKE THIS PHENOL IN OUR WATER THAT WE ARE CONSUMING.

REALLY, IN GENERAL, A HEALTHY DIET IS CRITICAL.

TRYING TO AVOID ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS AND TRYING TO AVOID FOODS THAT ARE EXPOSED TO MANY DIFFERENT PESTICIDES.

WHEN WE EAT ORGANIC PRODUCE, THOSE PESTICIDES THAT ARE USED IN ORGANIC PRODUCTS ARE NOT MANMADE.

THEY'RE OF NATURAL SOURCES.

SO IF WE CAN EAT ORGANIC PRODUCE AND MEATS, THERE IS A LOWER PESTICIDE BURDEN, SO THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT I ALWAYS GIVE.

REALLY EVEN, TOO, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PHTHALATES INCLUDED IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS, THERE ARE A FEW.

LIMITING THE AMOUNT THAT YOU ARE USING DECREASING MAYBE FROM SEVEN TO FIVE, THE FREQUENCY OF USE ARE ALL WAYS THAT YOU CAN MITIGATE EXPOSURE.

AND WHAT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN WHEN YOU ARE DOING BEST THAT YOU CAN TO DECREASE YOUR EXPOSURE TO THESE CHEMICALS, THESE DIFFERENT CHEMICALS, IT IS ACTUALLY HAVING A POSITIVE EFFECT ON HEALTH OUTCOMES.

>> HELP ME IF YOU WILL.

AT WHAT POINT IN A WOMAN'S LIFE OR BEING IS THE EXPOSURE IMPORTANT?

SO IF YOU HAVE A PERSON NOW WHO IS A CHILD, IS IT HER MOTHER HAVING BEEN EXPOSED TO THESE CHEMICALS?

OR IS IT HER GRANDMOTHER HAVING BEEN EXPOSED TO THE CHEMICALS THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE THE PERSON SITTING IN FRONT OF ME TO BE INFERTILE?

>> THAT IS A VERY EXCELLENT QUESTION AND SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT A LOT BECAUSE WHAT IS FASCINATING ABOUT THIS QUESTION IS THAT WOMEN HAVE, AT BIRTH, ALL THE EGGS THAT THEY WILL EVER HAVE, RIGHT?

SO A WOMAN TODAY, BEING EXPOSED TO A CHEMICAL IS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THAT CHEMICAL OBVIOUSLY.

IF SHE IS PREGNANT, HER DEVELOPING FETUS IS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THAT CHEMICAL.

AND IF THAT FETUS IS A FEMALE, ALL THOSE EGGS BEING DEVELOPED DURING GESTATION SO EVEN THE EGGS ARE EXPOSED AT THAT TIME POINT.

IF THAT EXPOSURE IS IMPACTING THE EGGS, YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL WHEN GRANDMA WAS EXPOSED, SO WAS MOM, SO WAS DAUGHTER.

AND SO THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT, I THINK THEY'RE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

THEY'RE CRITICAL PERIODS OF EXPOSURE THAT CAN LEAD TO EFFECTS.

I THINK SENSITIVE PERIODS OF EXPOSURE INCLUDE PREGNANCY, FETAL DEVELOPMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND E.D.C.s THAT ARE AFFECTING FETAL DEVELOPMENT ARE VERY CRUCIAL.

SO THAT CAN IMPACT COGNITION, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTIVE FITNESS IN THE OFFSPRING.

PUBERTY IS A VERY CRITICAL TIME POINT AS FEMALES AND MALES TRANSITION INTO BEING REPRODUCTIVELY FIT.

AND THEN INTO ADULTHOOD.

IF YOU ARE EXPOSED AS AN ADULT AND THE CHEMICALS ARE ALTERING YOUR FERTILITY STATUS, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO PRODUCE OFFSPRING.

>> I KNOW MOST OF YOUR WORK IS DONE WITH WOMEN AND FEMALE HORMONES, BUT IS THERE A COROLLARY WITH MEN?

ARE YOU SEEING SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SPERM PRODUCTION AND/OR FUNCTION?

>> SPECIFIC TO PHTHALATES, YES AND HISTORICALLY PHTHALATES HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN MALE REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

THESE PHTHALATES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO ALTER, DECREASE SIZE OF THE TESTES, PRODUCTION OF TESTOSTERONE AND DECREASE THE NUMBER OF SPERM AND EVEN SPERM QUALITY.

HISTORICALLY PHTHALATES ARE CONSIDERED ANTI-ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICAL ANDROGEN, AND AFFECT ANDROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION.

IF THIS IS HAVING AN EFFECT IN THE MALES, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK IN THE FEMALES AS WELL.

>> NOT YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY.

BUT WE ARE SEEING EARLY ONSET OF HEART DISEASE AND OTHER THINGS.

IS THIS A FACTOR?

>> IT'S HARD TO SAY FOR SURE.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IN OUR FIELD TO SAY CHEMICAL X IS GOING TO CAUSE HEALTH EFFECT Y.

BUT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GENETIC PREDISPOSITIONS FOR SOME OF THESE DISORDERS BE THEY REPRODUCTION OR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH OR THINGS LIKE CANCER ONSET AND PROGRESSION.

AT THE SAME TIME, AS THESE GENETIC DISORDERS, THESE GENETIC EFFECTS, WE ARE BEING EXPOSED INCREASINGLY TO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CHEMICALS ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE TO JUST DISCOUNT THAT ENTIRELY.

I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE ARE EXPOSED TO IN OUR ENVIRONMENT ON A DAILY BASIS IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH FOR SURE.

>> ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY THINGS THAT WE CAN EITHER TAKE, PHARMACOLOGICAL ROUTE OR EAT NEUTROCEUTICAL WAY THAT WILL HELP US FACILITATE THE BREAKDOWN OF THESE COMPOUNDS.

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY MITIGATING EXPOSURE, LIMITING EXPOSURE IS KEY.

PREVENTION IS THE FIRST STEP.

AND I WOULD CONSIDER IT TO BE THE EASIEST STEP.

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT NOW, SPECIFICALLY IN MY LAB, HOW ARE CELLS ACTING DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE EXPOSE THEM TO PHTHALATES.

SO AT THE CELLULAR LEVELS, THE SIGNALING MOLECULES, HORMONES MAY BE DECREASED OR INHIBITED.

CAN WE GIVE THEM BACK?

CAN WE GIVE THE CELLS A SUPPLEMENT TO MAKE THEM MAKE THOSE HORMONES THAT WERE ONCE DECREASED AND SEE IF WE CAN RESTORE FUNCTION?

AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL, I THINK WE HAVE SOME VERY PROMISING NEWS BUT IT'S HARD TO EXTRAPOLATE THAT UP TO THE HUMAN.

CAN WE GIVE THAT SAME DOSE OF THIS DRUG OR THIS SIGNALING MOLECULE TO THE WHOLE BODY AND EXPECT THAT IT IS GOING TO ACT THE SAME?

I WOULD ALMOST SPECULATE NO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOME OFF TARGET EFFECTS.

SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST AND WHAT I THINK IS CRITICAL IS THAT WE ARE PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO THESE CHEMICALS.

LIKE I SAID, KEEPING THINGS OUT OF PLASTIC, NOT MICROWAVING PLASTIC.

EAT A WELL-BALANCED HEALTHY DIET.

REMAINING FIT, I THINK IS KEY.

ULTIMATELY THE MORE HEALTHY THE INDIVIDUAL, THE BETTER THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL BE IN DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE TOXICANTS.

>> IF YOU WOULD, SO YOUR TAKE HOME, SO THAT I'M NOT UP TONIGHT JUST TOTALLY PETRIFIED AND GOING HOME AND THROWING OUT ALL MY WATER BOTTLES.

>> ACIDIC CANNED FOODS EVEN.

>> ACIDIC CANNED FOODS EVEN.

I DON'T MEAN TO SCARE PEOPLE.

>> TELL ME WHAT ABOUT THE ACIDIC CANNED FOODS.

>> IT IS INCORPORATED IN THE RESINS OF SOME CANNED FOODS.

ACIDIC FOODS BREAK DOWN THE RESIN A LITTLE BIT, AND BPAIS ABLE TO LEACH INTO THOSE FOODS.

SO AVOIDING PROCESSED FOODS IS ONE WAY TO DO IT.

AND AGAIN EATING FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE IS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

>> WHAT ABOUT FROZEN FOODS?

>> FROZEN FOODS, DEPENDING ON THE SOURCE, I THINK, ARE A GREAT WAY TO STILL EAT HEALTHY.

>> YOU EAT HOT DOGS.

>> I HAVE.

STILL DO.

>> AND I ASK THAT SOMEWHAT FACETIOUSLY BUT YOU ARE RIGHT.

>> I UNDERSTAND.

>> WITHIN ONE MINUTE, THE BIG TAKE HOME POINTS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PHTHALATES AND CHEMICALS LIKE THAT SO WE ARE NOT HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH FERTILITY.

>> I THINK RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM IS THE FIRST STEP.

WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY IN UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY HOW THESE CHEMICALS ARE ACTING IN OUR BODY.

OFTEN TIMES THEY'RE GOING UNREGULATED AND ARE ALLOWED TO BE IN THE PRODUCTS WE ARE CONSUMING EVERY SINGLE DAY WITHOUT MUCH REGULATION.

SO I THINK HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING THAT, YES, THIS IS HAPPENING.

IT IS A PROBLEM -- IS KEY.

YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY AT HOME BY TAKING SOME OF THE STEPS THAT I MENTIONED.

I THINK YOU NEED TO BE COGNIZANT AND AWARE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE BRINGING INTO YOUR HOME.

AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE BEING AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE.

SLOWLY YOU ARE DECREASING ENDOCRINE INCREASING CHEMICALS EXPOSURE AND BEING A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL AND ABLE TO COMBAT THOSE CHEMICALS YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GET EXPOSURE TOL.

LET'S FACE IT.

WE CANNOT ELIMINATE ALL EXPOSURES SO REALLY THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE IS BE AWARE, BE ALERT, AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.

IT WAS REALLY SOCIETAL PRESSURE THAT HELPED ELIMINATE BPA FROM CERTAIN EVERYDAY OBJECTS, SO SOCIETY BEING AWARE AND ALERT AND ADVOCATES FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH IS CRITICAL.

>> ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT MOTHER NATURE DOESN'T LIKE US MESSING AROUND WITH THINGS.

>> EXACTLY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR HEALTH AND HOW PHTHALATES AND SPECIFICALLY AFFECT FERTILITY.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THIS SHOW AGAIN OR AN ARCHIVED VERSION OF PAST SHOWS GO TO ket.org/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KYHEALTH@ket.org.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE NEXT KENTUCKY HEALTH, REMEMBER DON'T REHEAT THE PLASTIC CONTAINER, TAKE YOUR FOOD OUT OF THEM AND GET STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLES AND LISTEN TO Dr. HANNON.

THANK YOU.