A third of male fish in English rivers are changing sex due to 'gender-bending' pollution, alarming research shows.
Experts say female hormones from the contraceptive pill and HRT are being washed into our rivers and causing male fish to produce eggs.
The problem - which is country-wide - has raised fears that the pollutants could also be contaminating our drinking water - and even be affecting the fertility of men.
The Environment Agency study looked at the health of more than 1600 roach found in 51 rivers and streams around the country.
Overall, a third of the male fish were between sexes. However, in one waterway, near a particularly heavy discharge of treated sewage more than 80 per cent had female characteristics.
Tests showed the males developed female sex organs and were producing eggs. Such fish also produce less sperm and the sperm that is produced is of low quality. Females may also be affected, producing abnormal eggs.
Previous studies have that cod, trout and flounders are all being feminised.
Researcher Professor Charles Tyler said that the fish are swimming in a soup of oestrogen-like compounds, found in the Pill and in HRT.
3 comments:
Self-definition
Hot of the news press today!!!!
splice with the gene from mice to reduce shit!!!
Report: Canada to approve GM 'enviropigs'
OTTAWA, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A Canadian government department is poised to approve genetically modified pigs for the food supply, the Canwest News Service reported Friday.
Sources told the agency Environment Canada will announce approval of the strain known as "enviropigs" Saturday.
The strain would then need approval from Health Canada before the pigs enter the food market.
The Yorkshire pigs were developed by researchers in Ontario at the University of Guelph, who spliced in genes from mice to decrease the amount of phosphorus produced in the pigs' dung, the report said.
The genetic modification means the new strain of pigs produce 30 to 65 percent less phosphorus in their waste, which has been problematic in surface and groundwater around large livestock operations, Canwest said.
Steven Liss, associate vice-president for research at the University of Guelph, said an application has also been sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but he had no idea how long it would take to get a response.
More "Hot of the Press."
DMG hommies jumping ship on GMO:)!
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine
Warning on Genetically Modified Foods
http://www.aaemonline.org/gmopost.html
The plantation is even busting each other up.
Excerpt from article above:
Genetically Modified Foods
"However, several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system."
"There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation as defined by Hill's Criteria in the areas of strength of association, consistency, specificity, biological gradient, and biological plausibility.5 The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.2,6,7,8,9,10,11"
" Multiple animal studies show significant immune dysregulation, including upregulation of cytokines associated with asthma, allergy, and inflammation. 6,11 Animal studies also show altered structure and function of the liver, including altered lipid and carbohydrate metabolism as well as cellular changes that could lead to accelerated aging and possibly lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)."
" A recent 2008 study links GM corn with infertility, showing a significant decrease in offspring over time and significantly lower litter weight in mice fed GM corn.8 This study also found that over 400 genes were found to be expressed differently in the mice fed GM corn. These are genes known to control protein synthesis and modification, cell signaling, cholesterol synthesis, and insulin regulation. Studies also show intestinal damage in animals fed GM foods, including proliferative cell growth9 and disruption of the intestinal immune system."
"Therefore, because GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit, the AAEM believes that it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle, which is one of the main regulatory tools of the European Union environmental and health policy and serves as a foundation for several international agreements."
"The AAEM asks:
* Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.
* Physicians to consider the possible role of GM foods in the disease processes of the patients they treat and to document any changes in patient health when changing from GM food to non-GM food.
* Our members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on human health.
* For a moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term independent safety testing, and labeling of GM foods, which is necessary for the health and safety of consumers.
(This statement was reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine on May 8, 2009.)
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