How to Safeguard Your Hormone Health & Fertility | Dr. Shanna Swan

Andrew Huberman

Nov 4, 2024

Episode description

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Shanna Swan, Ph.D., professor of environmental medicine and reproductive health at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Swan is the world’s leading expert on the harmful impact of chemicals in our food, water, cosmetics, and various household and consumer products on our hormones, and the consequences for fertility and overall reproductive health. She explains how exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disruptors adversely impacts fetal development, puberty, and the adult brain and body. We discuss the global decline in human fertility due to disruptive environmental toxins, such as pesticides, and certain foods and beverages we consume.

We discuss practical strategies to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals, such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), BPS, and PFAS. This includes reducing disposable plastic use, making healthier food preparation, consumption, and storage choices, and selecting personal and household products that don’t contain harmful toxins. This episode allows you to assess your risk of exposure to endocrine disruptors accurately and empowers you to take control of your hormone health and fertility.

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*Dr. Shanna Swan*
Website: https://www.shannaswan.com
Academic Profile: https://profiles.mountsinai.org/shanna-h-swan
Count Down (book): https://amzn.to/4fsvRDC
Resources: https://www.shannaswan.com/resources
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drshannaswan
X: https://x.com/DrShannaSwan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanna-swan-phd-339a4258

*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Dr. Shanna Swan
00:02:58 Sponsors: LMNT, ROKA & BetterHelp
00:06:49 Environmental Chemicals, Fertility, Hormones, Phthalates
00:13:30 Phthalate Syndrome, Animal Data, Male Offspring
00:19:11 Phthalate Syndrome in Humans, Pregnancy & Babies
00:27:30 Hyenas; Phthalate Syndrome in Males
00:32:49 Sponsor: AG1
00:34:22 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Mothers & Female Offspring
00:39:03 Anogenital Distance & Sperm Count
00:45:03 Sperm Count & Fertility
00:49:24 Sponsor: Function
00:51:11 Sperm Count Decline
00:58:19 Sperm Quality & Pesticides
01:04:12 Atrazine, Amphibians, Sexual Dimorphism, Behavior
01:09:00 Preschoolers, Phthalate Exposure, Sexually Dimorphic Behaviors
01:14:08 Tools: Lowering Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors, Fertility
01:24:52 Tools: BPA, BPS, BPF & Can Linings; Drinkware; Plastics & Microwave
01:30:07 Tools: Buying Organic; Skin Products, Fragrance; Sunscreens, Consumer Guides
01:32:58 Funding
01:34:31 Tools: Distilling Water, Shoes, Clothing, Food Sourcing; Building Materials
01:40:12 Europe vs. US Chemical Safety, REACH Program
01:46:20 Tool: Pregnancy & Fetal Health
01:49:23 Plastics & Environmental Concern; Fertility
01:55:26 Sperm Quality, Fertility, Cell Phone, Temperature
01:58:04 Other Animals & Fertility Decline, Ecosystems
02:01:58 Advancing Technologies, Fertility, Offspring & Adverse Effects
02:06:02 Tool: Consumer Guides, Personal & Household Products
02:09:39 Tool: Receipts; Thyroid System; Non-Stick Pans
02:15:18 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #Science #Microplastics #Fertility #HormoneHealth

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Avoid harmful exposures in pregnancy to protect future generations

Harmful exposures in the womb, such as from a mother smoking, can cause permanent reductions in sperm count that cannot be reversed later in life.

#sperm

Beware of "BPA-free" labels masking harmful chemicals

Products labeled "BPA-free" often use equally harmful chemical relatives like BPS and BPF, so the label does not guarantee safety.

#BPA

#safety

Avoid canned foods to reduce BPA exposure

The primary source of exposure to the endocrine disruptor BPA is the lining of metal cans used for drinks and food, not plastic bottles.

#BPA

#nutrition

Avoid scented products to protect hormonal health

If you can smell a fragrance in a product like laundry detergent or soap, it is likely affecting your hormones as phthalates are used to hold scent.

#hormones

#phthalates

Utilize anogenital distance as a biomarker for fetal hormone exposure

The anogenital distance (AGD) in newborns acts as a permanent physical marker of the hormonal environment they were exposed to in the womb.

#childbirth

#hormones

Monitor anogenital distance to assess fertility potential

A shorter anogenital distance in adult men, reflecting their in-utero hormone exposure, is strongly correlated with lower sperm counts.

#fertility

Understand sperm count thresholds for optimal fertility

For fertility, sperm count matters immensely when it's below 45 million per milliliter, but makes little difference once it's above 75-100 million per milliliter.