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Oxidative Stress Induced by Air Pollutants and Its Role in Testicular Dysfunction
Summary
This review pulls together recent research showing that everyday air pollution—including particle pollution, chemical fumes, and even microplastics we breathe in—can damage sperm quality by triggering harmful "oxidative stress" (basically cellular damage) in the testicles. This matters because it may help explain why male fertility rates have been declining worldwide, though scientists still need more research to pin down exactly how much pollution exposure causes problems and what can be done to prevent it, like improving air quality or using protective antioxidants.
Male infertility is an increasing global health concern with multifactorial origins. Recent evidence highlights air pollution as a key environmental risk factor affecting male reproductive health. This review synthesises studies from 2020 to 2026 on how airborne pollutants including particulate matter, gaseous compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and microplastics induce oxidative stress and impair testicular function. Oxidative damage emerges as a central mechanism driving mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, antioxidant depletion and DNA damage. Epidemiological findings consistently link higher pollutant exposure to reduced sperm quality including count, motility, morphology and genetic integrity. Experimental studies further demonstrate disruption of the blood-testis barrier, apoptosis of germ cells, hormonal imbalance and impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Despite strong mechanistic insights, gaps remain in dose-response relationships, pollutant interactions and long-term reproductive outcomes. This review emphasises the need for integrated strategies combining pollution control, clinical monitoring and antioxidant interventions to mitigate reproductive risks.