Essay On Pesticides And Hormones

Research Essay: Pesticides and Hormones Today people are using pesticides and hormones in many of the items that we use each day and it’s affecting our society in various ways. Pesticides are used in many different ways including: keeping insects away from plants, controlling weeds, and controlling the spread of diseases to plants. Hormones make animals grow faster and/or produce leaner meat for food. Although some people believe that pesticides and hormones should be used to help crops and livestock, they can be very harmful to others as well as the environment.
According to Unsworth, the first record of using pesticides started around 4,500 years ago by the Sumerians. The Sumerians first used Sulphur compounds to control insects and other

Men today are always exposed to many toxics chemicals. Sengupta states, “Several research studies have indicated that sperm counts have been in decline for decades, and scientists say modern lifestyles and contacts with chemicals are a contributing factor and exposure to pesticides is just one of the reasons for this decline” (1017). Pesticides are one of the most harmful chemicals that play role in effecting a male’s sperm counts. A worker that worked at a chemical factory in 1975 went to his doctor having many headaches and tremors. It turned out that he and the rest of his workers had been contaminated with chlordecone which affected their sperm counts. Only 25% of the workers at that factory had normal sperm counts. These workers were given medication that removed the chlordecone and increased their sperm count over the next five years. Also, Gabrielsen, J. S. and C. Tanrikut states, “Occupational exposures to pesticides have demonstrated dramatic effects on spermatogenesis because of the high levels and long durations of exposure” (654). Another case where workers in a factory had elevated FSH and LH levels and normal testosterone levels which also effected their sperm counts shows just how much pesticides effect male