Can phthalates from plastic products reduce male fertility?

What's actually in it

Phthalates are in flexible plastics (food wrap, vinyl flooring, shower curtains), fragranced products (cologne, aftershave, scented lotions), and some medications and supplements (as coating agents). Men absorb phthalates through food, skin, and air. These chemicals reach the testes, where sperm are produced.

Unlike most cells, sperm carry a unique set of epigenetic marks, chemical tags that control which genes are active. These marks are passed to the next generation during fertilization.

What the research says

A 2026 review in Reprod Toxicol examined how phthalates cause male infertility through epigenetic mechanisms. The review identified changes at every level of sperm epigenetics.

Phthalates altered DNA methylation patterns in sperm, changing which genes were turned on or off. Key fertility genes involved in sperm motility, capacitation (the final maturation step before fertilization), and embryo implantation were affected.

They also disrupted histone modifications, the protein packaging that controls how tightly DNA is wound. Loose or tight packaging at the wrong spots changed how sperm genes function. Phthalates also altered levels of specific microRNAs in sperm that regulate early embryo development.

Men with higher phthalate exposure had lower sperm counts, reduced motility, and more abnormal sperm shapes. The epigenetic changes may also affect the health of their children, since altered sperm epigenetics can influence embryo development.

Men trying to conceive should reduce phthalate exposure. Use fragrance-free personal care products, avoid plastic food storage, and choose solid wood or tile flooring over vinyl.