The Wellness Brew - Issue 13

The conversation most couples have before trying to conceive covers the basics: prenatal vitamins, alcohol, caffeine, maybe a check-in with the doctor. The conversation that doesn’t happen is the one about the household chemicals affecting fertility in both partners. Phthalates in fragrance. PFAS in water and cookware. Heat exposure for the male partner. The evidence base is now substantial enough to be worth a structured walkthrough. This week's Deep Dive is that walkthrough.

But first, we filtered the noise — here's what's worth knowing this week.

The FDA published its first comprehensive report on PFAS (aka forever chemicals) in cosmetics in late December 2025. The findings: 51 distinct PFAS are intentionally added to 1,744 cosmetic products sold in the United States, concentrated in eye shadows, eyeliners, mascaras, foundations, and face powders. Products marketed as "long-wearing," "transfer-resistant," or "waterproof" are particularly likely to contain them. The FDA's own conclusion was that the toxicological data is incomplete or unavailable for most of these PFAS, meaning the agency cannot definitively assess safety. There are no federal regulations specifically prohibiting intentionally added PFAS in cosmetics, though ten states have enacted bans taking effect between 2025 and 2028. The practical filter for the consumer: anything labeled long-wearing, waterproof, or transfer-resistant carries elevated probability of PFAS content. The EWG Skin Deep database (ewg.org/skindeep) is a useful tool for verifying specific products. — FDA, Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products, 2025.

Independent testing detected high levels of glyphosate (223 ppb) in Seven Sunday’s grain-free Sunflower Cereal. Seven Sundays updated its public FAQ to acknowledge that its grain-free sunflower cereals had not been part of the brand's existing Detox Project certification program. Their grain-based products have been Certified Glyphosate Residue Free since 2019, but their grain-free cereals were excluded on the assumption that cassava and sunflower seeds carry lower glyphosate residue than grains. Seven Sundays has committed to begin testing those ingredients immediately. This is what accountability looks like in the food industry. A brand acknowledges a gap, owns it publicly, and announces a specific corrective action. The broader takeaway: the most reliable signals come from brands that publish current third-party testing, not from brands that claim certification at some point in the past. — Seven Sundays, FAQ page, 2026.

L'Oreal, the parent company of CeraVe, faces at least six class action lawsuits alleging that two of its acne cleansers (CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser and Acne Foaming Cream Wash) contain elevated levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen. The lawsuits trace back to a March 2024 citizen petition by Valisure, an independent testing lab, which reported that benzoyl peroxide (the active ingredient) can degrade into benzene when exposed to heat. Valisure measured benzene at 5 to over 12 parts per million in the CeraVe products, well above the FDA's 2 ppm conditional limit. The other side of the story: in March 2025, the FDA tested 95 benzoyl peroxide products and reported that over 90 percent contained undetectable or extremely low benzene levels. CeraVe was not among the products the FDA identified for recall, and the lawsuits remain unproven allegations as of mid-2026. The practical takeaway is that for anyone using benzoyl peroxide products, storing them in a cool location (not a steamy bathroom or a hot car) reduces benzene formation. For anyone with concerns, alternative acne actives like salicylic acid and adapalene do not carry the same degradation pathway. — Snopes, CeraVe L'Oreal benzene fact check, 2026.

Sperm counts in industrialized countries have declined by approximately 50 percent over the past 50 years. The most-cited meta-analysis, published in Human Reproduction Update, pooled data across 244 estimates from 7,500+ men in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and confirmed both the magnitude and the persistence of the decline.[1] The trend has continued into the 21st century. Most researchers now consider environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to be the primary driver, alongside lifestyle factors like obesity, stress, and sedentary behavior.

Female fertility is harder to study at the population level because the relevant markers (ovarian reserve, time to pregnancy, miscarriage rates) are influenced by more variables. But the evidence on environmental impacts is real, growing, and increasingly specific. Multiple human cohort studies now link the same household chemicals affecting male fertility to measurable changes in female fertility parameters as well.

Most couples preparing for pregnancy hear the standard guidance from their doctors: take a prenatal vitamin, limit alcohol, watch caffeine. Almost none hear about the household chemical exposures that affect both partners' fertility and the early developmental environment that follows conception. This issue covers what the evidence supports.

One point worth stating up front. Most exposures discussed here are reversible. Sperm production runs on a roughly 70-day cycle, which means changes made today show up in about three months. The female reproductive system is less malleable on the same timescale, but ovarian function and ovulation can be influenced by exposure changes within a single cycle. The two to six month window before attempting to conceive is where the highest leverage sits.

Phthalates. The most-studied category in the male fertility literature. Phthalates measurably impair sperm concentration, motility, and morphology across more than two decades of human cohort research. These endocrine disrupters interfere with the androgen receptor and reduce testosterone production at the testicular level.[2] A 2022 review in Andrology covering occupational and environmental phthalate exposure concluded the evidence base is robust enough to inform clinical recommendations for couples in active conception.[3]

Where they show up in the home: anything with "fragrance" on the label. That single word legally represents a proprietary blend of dozens to hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, and phthalates are routinely among them. Specifically:

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Forever chemicals. They persist in the body and the environment for years, cross the placenta, and are now detectable in nearly every American. Multiple human studies have linked higher PFAS body burden to reduced sperm quality, lower testosterone, and longer time to pregnancy.[4] 

Where they show up in the home:

Heat exposure. The testicles sit outside the body because spermatogenesis requires temperatures 2 to 4°C below core body temperature. Sustained heat exposure measurably impairs sperm production.

The cleanest study on this is one we covered in detail in our recent sauna issue. A 2013 Italian study published in Human Reproduction (Garolla et al.) found that men who used a Finnish sauna for 15 minutes twice per week, over three months, experienced significant drops in sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. Sperm DNA fragmentation also increased. The effects were fully reversible within six months of stopping.[5]

The sauna data is the headline, but everyday heat exposures add up:

If you are actively trying to conceive, decreasing your heat exposure is the single most actionable change with the fewest tradeoffs. Move the laptop to a desk. Turn off the heated car seat. Skip the sauna and hot tub for the six-month window. The effect is immediate and the cost is zero.

One brief mention on BPA and bisphenol replacements. Bisphenol A and its replacements (BPS, BPF) are endocrine disruptors with documented effects on male reproductive parameters. The evidence is slightly thinner than for phthalates and PFAS, but the exposure pathways are similar. Major sources include: thermal receipts (cash register receipts – stop touching these), the lining of canned foods and beverages, hard polycarbonate water bottles, and some food storage containers.

Phthalates. The female fertility evidence base for phthalates is now substantial and includes several specific effects. A 2024 longitudinal study published in eClinicalMedicine followed more than 1,300 women and measured anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), the standard marker of ovarian reserve, six and nine years after exposure measurement. Higher urinary phthalate concentrations during reproductive years were associated with measurably lower AMH levels over time.[6] Separate work from the EARTH cohort at Massachusetts General Hospital found that DEHP (a widely used plasticizer) metabolites were inversely associated with antral follicle count, oocyte yield, clinical pregnancy rates, and live birth rates following assisted reproduction.[7]

Other studies have found that phthalates are associated with shorter luteal phase length and reduced fecundability per cycle – essentially meaning lower odds of a pregnancy within a single menstrual cycle. [8][9]

The exposure pathways are the same as in the male fertility section above. The most-impactful single change is eliminating fragrance from personal care and cleaning products.

BPA and bisphenol replacements. The female fertility evidence on BPA is, if anything, stronger than the male evidence. The NIH-funded CLARITY-BPA program, one of the largest coordinated investigations of bisphenol effects on human health, found that BPA causes measurable harm at the lowest exposure levels studied. This is a meaningful departure from the standard assumption in toxicology that lower doses are automatically safer.[10] A 2024 cohort study evaluating bisphenol and phthalate exposure with time to pregnancy in a New York City cohort found a positive association between BPA exposure and time to pregnancy, with higher odds of subfecundity, which is defined as a diminished ability to reproduce naturally.[11]

Where they show up in the home:

Air pollution, particularly PM2.5. A 2022 systematic review documented that elevated PM2.5 exposure is associated with reduced fertility, increased time to pregnancy, and increased miscarriage risk.[12] PM2.5 refers to particles in the air that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, so small that they can easily penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream when inhaled. Exposure to air pollutants indoors is a meaningful risk factor, but one that is directly addressable.

Where it shows up in the home:

The cheapest, highest-leverage indoor air interventions are running a HEPA air purifier in the bedroom, using a range hood vented outdoors when cooking with gas, and ventilating during and after any cleaning or new-furniture off-gassing period.

For couples planning ahead, six months is the practical horizon for making meaningful changes. The highest-leverage items are the ones that affect both partners and that take effect within the planning window: eliminating synthetic fragrance, filtering drinking water, switching from plastic to glass for hot food storage.

For couples who did not plan ahead, the message is different but equally important. Most environmental exposures are reversible. Sperm production renews completely every 70 days and the female reproductive system responds to exposure changes within weeks. Many of the same things that impact your ability to conceive also carry risk once pregnant. Changes are worth making, even if conception is underway or if you’re already pregnant.

Four things you can do this week:

1. Filter your drinking water for PFAS and lead. The single most impactful change for both partners and through pregnancy. Reverse osmosis or a high-quality carbon block filter rated for both contaminants. Check your utility's UCMR5 data to see your specific PFAS exposure level or if you’re in an older home (pre-1986 plumbing), consider a tap water test through SimpleLab to test for lead. For most people, the easiest and most affordable swap is an advanced pitcher filter. Our top choice for pitcher filters is Epic Water and if you use code WELLNESSBREW15 you’ll get 15% off. Epic filters are NSF certified and depending on the model will filter out up to 99.9% of PFAS and 99.9% of lead.

2. Eliminate synthetic fragrance. The exposure with the broadest impact across product categories. Plug-in air fresheners go first. Scented candles second (replace with beeswax or unscented soy if you want ambient warmth) and then fragranced laundry products (switch to free-and-clear formulations). Next all fragranced personal care products: lotions, shampoos, body washes, deodorants. The word "fragrance" or "parfum" on a label is the marker. Fragrance-free or essential-oil-only is the swap.

3. For the male partner, address heat exposure. The most-overlooked and most-immediate male fertility change. Skip the sauna and hot tub for the six months before active conception attempts. Move the laptop off the lap to a desk or lap pad. The cost is zero, the effect on sperm parameters shows up within 70 to 90 days.

4. Switch to glass for hot food storage and heating. No plastic in the microwave. No plastic wrap in contact with fatty foods (deli meat, cheese, leftovers with oil or sauce). No plastic for liquids stored above room temperature. Glass containers (Pyrex, Weck), stainless steel for travel, ceramic plates for reheating. The microwave + plastic combination is the single highest-exposure event in most kitchens.

If you want a personalized assessment of your specific home, The Wellness Brew Home Detox goes deeper and leaves you with a prioritized action plan. 

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Wellness, filtered.

The Wellness Brew

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Disclaimer: The Wellness Brew is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content published here is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, supplement routine, or lifestyle.