Fertility warnings confirmed - see!

You’ve read it in this column many times, and at the risk of saying ‘I told you so’ – finally you’re reading it now in mainstream newspapers. Chemicals in everyday products including toothpaste, soap and sunscreen could be damaging men’s fertility, researchers warn.

There have been many articles, books, studies and papers that have charted the issues around potentially toxic chemicals in personal care products but now a study that directly linked common household chemicals with damage to human sperm has been taken seriously.

Scientists said that the ‘ubiquitous’ chemicals may be contributing to widespread fertility problems in the Western world.

The German and Danish researchers tested almost 100 everyday chemicals – and discovered that a third of them affected sperm. These included suncreams, toothpastes and soaps. Elizabeth Salter Green, director of chemical watchdog CHEM Trust, called for tougher regulations on these chemicals saying: “The great worry is the ability of these chemicals to undermine fertilisation occurs at levels to which most men are regularly exposed.”

‘I’m past my child bearing years’, you may be thinking, but that’s no good reason to be complacent, in addition to affecting sperm count these hormone-disrupting chemicals can also cause respiratory problems, insomnia, irritability and skin conditions.

Let’s cut to the good news, they are easy-to-source 100 per cent natural alternatives to just about everything and when it comes to suncream, do you really need it? We do need Vitamin D, we just mustn’t burn. Get your 20 minutes unprotected and for those times when you really can’t cover up (big sunglasses, hat and pashmina film star style) then sit in the shade or opt for one of the more natural sun creams.

I highly recommend the very affordable suncreams and sunblocks from www.greenpeople.com. For the kids there’s a great new kids suncream on the block www.aubreyorganicsuk.co.uk.

You could of course go for a fake tan instead and that can be natural also. I’m not suggesting heading for a spray-tanning booth, try the natural self tanning cream from www.handmadenaturals.co.uk (who also do a full range of skincare).

For natural toothpaste (if mixing bicarbonate of soda with peppermint oil doesn’t appeal) head for the health food shop and look at the ones from Weleda, Sarakan and Kingfisher and for soaps, well 100 per cent natural soaps are the new rock & roll, definitely the definitive gift (forget candles and socks).

Try the gorgeous smelling kefir soaps from