為什麼你的陰莖在縮水：英語精讀講義

Penis sizes are shrinking, which you might have seen from these headlines all over the internet.

陰莖尺寸正在縮小，你可能已經在網路上到處看到這類標題了。

And in the last 40 years, sperm counts in men have decreased by 50% 文法

而且在過去 40 年間，男性的精子數量下降了 50%，

and the distance between the anus and the genitals in boys, aka the taint, 用詞

男童肛門和生殖器之間的距離，也就是會陰部，

has been shrinking.

也一直在縮短。

So today, we are going to explain what is going on. 片語動詞

所以今天，我們要來解釋究竟是怎麼回事。

Testosterone levels in men have been declining since 1982.

自 1982 年以來，男性的睪固酮濃度持續下降。

A meta-analysis of over 185 studies that looked at over 48,000 men 用詞

一項整合超過 185 份研究、涵蓋 48,000 多名男性的統合分析

found that between the years of 1973 and 2011,

發現，在 1973 到 2011 年間，

male sperm concentration had decreased by 52%

男性的精子濃度下降了 52%，

and overall sperm count had decreased by 59%.

精子總數則下降了 59%。

26% of men who have erectile dysfunction are now under the age of 40.

如今，患有勃起功能障礙的男性中，有 26% 未滿 40 歲。

Looking at sperm bank semen in 1963,

以 1963 年精子銀行的精液樣本來看，

1 teaspoon of sperm,

一茶匙的精液，

which is your average ejaculation,

也就是一般人一次射精的平均量，

would have had 99 million viable sperm per milliliter.

每毫升原本含有 9,900 萬個存活精子。

By 2011, it had fallen all the way to only 49 million viable sperm. 文法

到了 2011 年，已一路降到只剩 4,900 萬個存活精子。

And the decrease in the sperm count,

而精子數量、

sperm concentration,

精子濃度、

and viable sperm is why now

以及存活精子數都在下降，正因如此，如今

male fertility issues contribute 1/4 to 1/3 of all fertility issues.

所有生育問題中，有四分之一到三分之一與男性有關。

And now we are starting to understand,

而現在，我們開始明白，

finally,

終於明白，

why this is happening.

這一切為何會發生。

It comes down to plastics, pesticides, 片語動詞

歸根究柢，問題出在塑膠、農藥，

and the chemicals in the products that we are using every day.

以及我們每天使用的產品所含的化學物質。

Plastics, pesticides, and chemicals in our products contain EDCs, 用詞

塑膠、農藥，以及產品中的化學物質，都含有 EDCs，

endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

也就是內分泌干擾化學物質。

These chemicals bind to hormone sites in our body

這些化學物質會與我們體內的荷爾蒙受體結合，

and fool our bodies into thinking they're the natural hormone. 文法

欺騙身體，讓它以為那是天然荷爾蒙。

Hormones are signaling molecules in your body

荷爾蒙是你體內負責傳遞訊號的分子，

that are a part of your amazing endocrine system.

也是你那套精妙的內分泌系統的一部分。

The endocrine system consists of these glands in your body

內分泌系統由你體內的這些腺體組成，

that secrete hormones

它們會分泌荷爾蒙，

in order for your organs and your tissues to essentially communicate. 文法

好讓你的器官和組織彼此溝通。

For example, when stressed, 文法

舉例來說，當你感受到壓力時，

your brain will signal your pituitary gland to release ACTH.

大腦會向腦下垂體發出訊號，要它釋放 ACTH。

And this pituitary gland is in your brain.

這個腦下垂體就在你的腦中。

No, it is not your testicles,

不，它不是你的睪丸，

even though it looks like it.

雖然看起來很像。

The ACTH enters the blood,

ACTH 會進入血液，

where it then makes its way to your adrenal gland. 片語搭配

接著隨血液抵達腎上腺。

Now, the adrenal gland secretes cortisol,

這時，腎上腺會分泌皮質醇，

another hormone that enters the bloodstream,

這是另一種會進入血液的荷爾蒙，

and then increases glucose within your body

接著提高你體內的葡萄糖濃度，

to help you deal with that stress.

幫助你應付那股壓力。

This is just one example of endocrine biological signaling processes,

這只是內分泌生物訊號傳遞過程的一個例子，

but there are many more that control how you breathe,

但還有許多其他過程，控制著你如何呼吸、

how your digestion works,

消化系統如何運作，

and even the sensory you feel when you touch a wall.

甚至包括你觸摸牆面時感受到的觸覺。

Back to the endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. 表達脈絡

回到內分泌干擾化學物質，也就是 EDCs。

They can also control how our natural hormones are broken down and stored. 片語動詞

它們也能控制我們的天然荷爾蒙如何被分解和儲存。

And they also change our body's sensitivity to the real hormones.

也會改變身體對真正荷爾蒙的敏感度。

So let's start with the endocrine-disrupting chemicals,

那我們就先從一種內分泌干擾化學物質說起，

phthalates.

鄰苯二甲酸酯類。

These chemicals are in plastics,

這些化學物質存在於塑膠中，

cuz they make them soft and flexible. 文法

因為它們能讓塑膠變得柔軟又有彈性。

They're also in floor coverings and soap and hair spray.

地板鋪面、肥皂和定型噴霧裡也都有。

One study of 72 common household objects found phthalates

一項針對 72 種常見家用品的研究發現，鄰苯二甲酸酯類

in three quarters of the products, such as deodorant

存在於四分之三的產品中，例如體香劑、

and hair gels and fragrances.

髮膠和香水。

So in rats, if the expectant mother is exposed to phthalates

在大鼠實驗中，如果懷孕母鼠接觸鄰苯二甲酸酯類的時間

18 to 21 days after mating,

是交配後第 18 到第 21 天，

the male pups will have a decrease in testosterone.

雄性幼鼠的睪固酮就會下降。

In humans, if an expectant mother is exposed to phthalates 片語搭配

對人類而言，如果孕婦接觸鄰苯二甲酸酯類的時間

between week 8 to 12 of the embryo's development,

是胚胎發育的第 8 到第 12 週，

it can disrupt testosterone and lead to boys coming out

就可能干擾睪固酮，導致生下來的男嬰

with a decreased penis size,

陰莖尺寸較小、

lower sperm counts, and a smaller AGD,

精子數量較少，肛門生殖器距離（AGD）也較短，

a smaller taint.

也就是會陰較短。

Now, let's look at the BPA,

現在，來看看 BPA，

which you may have heard a lot about.

這個名詞你可能常常聽到。

It can be found in nonstick coatings,

它可能存在於不沾塗層、

in lots of different plastics,

各種不同的塑膠、

in electronics,

電子產品，

and also in receipt paper.

以及收據紙中。

Men working at factories with high levels of BPA 文法

在 BPA 濃度很高的工廠工作的男性

had their urine examined. 文法

接受了尿液檢查。

It turned out that increased levels of BPA in their urine 表達脈絡

結果發現，他們尿液中的 BPA 濃度越高，

led to four times lower sperm counts,

精子數量就會降到四分之一，

three times lower sperm vitality,

精子活力會降到三分之一，

and decreased sperm mobility.

精子活動力也會下降。

Sons of men with high BPA exposure had decreased AGDs

BPA 暴露量高的男性，其兒子的 AGD 較短，

and were more likely to have ejaculation issues

也更容易出現射精問題

and decreased sexual desire.

和性慾降低。

And there are a lot of other chemicals that disrupt endocrine hormones,

還有許多其他化學物質也會干擾內分泌系統中的荷爾蒙，

from those in plastic toys and air fresheners,

包括塑膠玩具和空氣芳香劑中的化學物質、

nail polish, pesticides,

指甲油、農藥，

to the grease and stain repellents in fast food containers,

以及速食容器中的防油、防汙劑，

and the dioxins found in meat and dairy,

還有肉類和乳製品中的戴奧辛，

all of which have an impact on sperm count,

全都會影響精子數量、

taint size, or penis length.

會陰長度或陰莖長度。

It's not just EDCs in plastics and pesticides that are decreasing male fertility, 文法

降低男性生育力的不只是塑膠和農藥中的 EDCs，

it's also other things that we are just doing to our bodies.

還包括我們對自己身體所做的其他事情。

Smoking cigarettes or even just exposure to secondhand smoke 用詞

抽菸，甚至只是接觸二手菸，

can actually cause damage to our sperm.

其實都可能傷害我們的精子。

It can decrease our testosterone

這會降低我們的睪固酮，

and decrease our ability for the little guys to make its way to the egg. 慣用語

也會削弱這些小傢伙游到卵子的能力。

And right now,

而目前，

men smoke five times as much as women, 文法

男性的吸菸量是女性的五倍，

which is causing a decrease in male fertility.

這也造成男性生育力下降。

And it's not just cigarettes, sadly.

可惜，問題不只香菸。

Also, those marijuana smokers, like me,

像我一樣會抽大麻的人

also have to look out because a 2015 study in Denmark

也得當心，因為丹麥一項 2015 年的研究

found that smoking marijuana more than once a week

發現，每週吸食大麻超過一次，

led to a 29% decrease in sperm count.

會讓精子數量下降 29%。

Also, curing meat with nitrites and nitrates 用詞

此外，以亞硝酸鹽和硝酸鹽醃製肉品，

and the chlorinated pollutants that can be found in animal meat and dairy

再加上肉類和乳製品中可能存在的含氯污染物，

can damage your sperm's DNA.

都可能破壞精子的 DNA。

Men who eat more processed meat have a decreased sperm count

食用較多加工肉品的男性，精子數量較少，

and decreased normally shaped semen

形狀正常的精子也較少，

and this could be caused by the endocrine issues

而這可能是因為這些肉品中的化學物質

that these chemicals in these meats have.

會造成內分泌問題。

One thing is becoming extremely clear,

有件事正變得非常明顯，

which is that the chemicals we are now using in our modern world

那就是我們現代世界使用的化學物質

are creating a decrease in male fertility.

正在導致男性生育力下降。

So much so that a variety of studies have found 表達脈絡

情況嚴重到，多項研究都發現，

a 1% decrease in testosterone in men per year since 1982.

自 1982 年以來，男性的睪固酮每年下降 1%。

As for what you can do right now at home, 表達脈絡

至於你現在在家能做些什麼，

you can eat less meat and dairy.

你可以少吃一點肉類和乳製品。

You cannot heat up things in plastic containers, 片語動詞

不要用塑膠容器加熱食物，

cuz that can actually have the chemicals seep into your food.

因為那可能讓化學物質滲入食物中。

You can eat less takeout and fast food,

你也可以少吃外帶餐點和速食，

as the actual packaging can be an issue in those cases,

因為在這些情況下，包裝本身就可能是問題，

as well as the gloves that fast food workers

速食店員工戴的手套也可能有問題，

wear while they're preparing your food.

也就是他們準備食物時戴的手套。

One study found that teenagers who ate out more 片語動詞

一項研究發現，較常外食的青少年

had a 55% increase in some of these EDCs

體內某些 EDCs 的含量會高出 55%，

compared to teenagers who solely ate at home.

這是和只在家吃飯的青少年相比。

If you do use a nonstick

如果你要使用不沾鍋，

pan, keeping the heat low and for shorter periods of time.

請用低溫，並縮短加熱時間。

And if you ever see any sort of flaking on them,

如果你看到鍋面有任何剝落，

get rid of them. 片語動詞

就把鍋子丟掉。

Phthalates can leach into food in processing practices 用詞

鄰苯二甲酸酯類可能在加工過程中滲入食物，

and in food packaging.

也可能從食品包裝中滲入。

So eating less processed food

所以少吃加工食品，

or food with less packaging can also help.

或選擇包裝較少的食物，也會有幫助。

We need to regulate corporations

我們必須監管企業，

so that they can't just use these chemicals on us.

不能讓它們隨意把這些化學物質用在我們身上。

Right now,

就目前而言，

corporations can experiment with our bodies.

企業可以拿我們的身體做實驗。

The way that this regulation works

這套監管制度的運作方式，

is kind of innocent until proven guilty. 慣用語

有點像「在證明有罪前，一律視為無罪」。

So only when we start to realize the detrimental effects of these chemicals, 文法

所以，只有當我們開始意識到這些化學物質的有害影響後，

do we then start to regulate them.

才會開始加以管制。

We need to change that order.

我們必須改變這個先後順序。

You may have seen this tweet from Greta Thunberg.

你可能看過 Greta Thunberg 的這則推文。

I think it's rather smart and funny,

我覺得它既聰明又好笑，

and we will see you at the next climate march.

我們下次氣候遊行見。

We need to hit the streets and hold our governments 講解

我們必須走上街頭，要求政府

and our corporations accountable

和企業負起責任，

when it comes to regulating these chemicals out of our bodies. 片語搭配

透過管制，讓這些化學物質遠離我們的身體。

They need to keep us safe.

他們必須保障我們的安全。

They need to help us lead healthier lives.

他們必須幫助我們活得更健康。

And we didn't even really know the effects

而且我們過去甚至根本不知道，

that these chemicals were going to have on us.

這些化學物質會對我們造成什麼影響。

And now that we do, 文法

如今我們已經知道了，

we need to figure out how to get them out. 片語動詞

就必須找出擺脫它們的方法。

This is really important so that we can keep all of our...

這真的非常重要，這樣才能保住我們每個人的……

If you want to learn more,

如果你想進一步了解，

grab the book Countdown by Shanna Swan.

可以找來 Shanna Swan 的《Countdown》這本書看看。

She's sort of ringing the alarm

她可以說是為

on all of these issues.

所有這些問題敲響了警鐘。

I am just helping her try

我只是在幫她

and get this information out there. 片語動詞

把這些資訊傳播出去。

The book is full of amazing resources

這本書收錄了許多很棒的參考資料，

and gives you a really great understanding

也能讓你非常深入地了解

of what is going on here.

這裡究竟發生了什麼事。

Thank you so much for watching,

非常感謝大家收看，

and we will see you next week

我們下週再見，

for a new science video.

到時會帶來一支全新的科普影片。

Peace.

平安。