Are females hormones leaking in the environment?

[solkoe]

Hormone infested urine from women using the pill must be entering the water supply. Have any studies been done of the effect of this on men?

[KneadToKnow]

So you're okay with the notion of urine getting into your water, but hormones worry you?

[susan]

"Infested"?

[Inner Stickler]

It's not just female hormones. Antidepressants, prescription drugs like Percocet and Vicodin, and many other regulated substances are flushed into the sewer system and into the water supply on a regular basis. I do not know what effect they have on humans, dilute as they are, but I have heard reports of male fish found with vestigal female sex characteristics.

Here's an article about it if you are curious. (http://www.ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/july00/feature1.htm)

[KarlGauss]

This article from Scientific American (http://www.sciam.com/askexpert_question.cfm?articleID=0009AB0C-8000-1C71-9EB7809EC588F2D7&modsrc=related_links), although not about exactly what you asked, should be of some interest.

[Una Persson]

It's not just female hormones. Antidepressants, prescription drugs like Percocet and Vicodin, and many other regulated substances are flushed into the sewer system and into the water supply on a regular basis. I do not know what effect they have on humans, dilute as they are, but I have heard reports of male fish found with vestigal female sex characteristics.

Here's an article about it if you are curious. (http://www.ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/july00/feature1.htm)
Oddly enough, here's another article on that subject. (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/070831.html)

[Paul in Qatar]

I suspect long-term low-level exposure to these (and other) chemicals are a critical sort of background noise. It may be so pervasive that we cannot easily see their dramatic effects.

Or not.

[Inner Stickler]

Oddly enough, here's another article on that subject. (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/070831.html) :smack: I don't like the search function for the SD archive. It never seems to return the results I want. Therefore, I never think to use it. I will try to do better in the future.

[Playkcab]

I'm not sure, but gosh are my moobs sensitive today.


I know a conspiracy nut that believes the hormones from birth control are intentionally leaked into our environment by some sort of feminist New World Order, to subjugate men. :rolleyes:

[nealybobs]

General Ripper, is that you?