Environmental and microbiome determinants of sperm quality: a narrative review on male health.

Plain-language summary

This review set out to explore how environmental factors affect sperm quality and male fertility. It analyzed 82 recent studies, mostly from 2020 onward, looking at pollutants, heat, radiation, and other exposures in men. The findings suggest that both traditional and emerging environmental factors, like heavy metals, pesticides, and radiofrequency radiation, can harm sperm concentration, motility, shape, and DNA stability through mechanisms like oxidative stress and inflammation. The authors call for more research on real-world mixtures of exposures and better clinical screening for these risks.

Key findings

• Environmental pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides reduce sperm concentration, motility, and DNA stability.
• Emerging threats like PFAS and 5G radiofrequency radiation also harm sperm quality.
• Mechanisms include oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and systemic inflammation.
• The review highlights the need for multi-pollutant studies and better clinical screening for environmental risks.