review · Antioxidants
Air pollution from indoor and outdoor sources poses a severe global health hazard, with 99 per cent of the world population breathing air that exceeds recommended limits. Inhaling these pollutants stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species through chemical processes such as oxidation to quinones. The resulting oxidative stress causes lipid peroxidation, receptor binding by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and DNA strand breaks. While prolonged exposure contributes to various respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions, it also significantly compromises reproductive health. Both sexes contribute equally to infertility, and pollutant exposure impairs male reproductive capacity. Specifically, these environmental toxins degrade basic and advanced semen parameters and damage male sexual health. Understanding these biological pathways reveals how oxidative stress underpins the clinical consequences of environmental pollution on male reproductive potential.
With almost the entire global population breathing substandard air, environmental factors play a growing role in reproductive health issues. Identifying how air pollutants trigger oxidative damage to sperm and male sexual health helps clinicians and public health bodies better understand the non-respiratory consequences of pollution, informing preventive health guidance and male infertility assessments.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Air pollution, either from indoor (household) or outdoor (ambient) sources, occurs when there is presence of respirable particles in the form of chemical, physical, or biological agents that modify the natural features of the atmosphere or environment. Today, almost 2.4 billion people are exposed to hazardous levels of indoor pollution, while 99% of the global population breathes air pollutants that exceed the World Health Organization guideline limits. It is not surprising that air pollution is the world's leading environmental cause of diseases and contributes greatly to the global burden of diseases. Upon entry, air pollutants can cause an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by undergoing oxidation to generate quinones, which further act as oxidizing agents to yield more ROS. Excessive production of ROS can cause oxidative stress, induce lipid peroxidation, enhance the binding of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to their receptors, or bind to PAH to cause DNA strand breaks. The continuous and prolonged exposure to air pollutants is associated with the development or exacerbation of pathologies such as acute or chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative and skin diseases, and even reduced fertility potential. Males and females contribute to infertility equally, and exposure to air pollutants can negatively affect reproduction. In this review, emphasis will be placed on the implications of exposure to air pollutants on male fertility potential, bringing to light its effects on semen parameters (basic and advanced) and male sexual health. This study will also touch on the clinical implications of air pollution on male reproduction while highlighting the role of oxidative stress.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010064
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
