Military personnel face an invisible threat that doesn’t make headlines: higher infertility rates than the general public. The culprit? Potassium perchlorate, a chemical used in explosives and fireworks that service members encounter repeatedly throughout their careers.
But new research from the University of Missouri offers an unexpectedly simple solution: vitamin C.
The Chemical Threat
Evidence shows some service members have higher levels of potassium perchlorate in their blood due to their repeated close proximity to explosives. The chemical is also used in industrial settings and fireworks manufacturing, putting workers in these environments at similar risk.
Researchers found that exposure to potassium perchlorate causes oxidative stress, which interferes with genes and pathways involved in the sperm production process. In fish studies, male fish exposed to potassium perchlorate alone experienced a dramatic drop in fertility and clear damage to their testes.
The Vitamin C Solution
The breakthrough came when researchers tested whether vitamin C could counter this damage. Fish exposed to vitamin C and the chemical at the same time showed improved fertility and less damage to their testes.
According to Ramji Bhandari, the lead researcher and associate professor at the University of Missouri, vitamin C can successfully protect the sperm production process against oxidative stress by restoring molecular pathways involved in male fertility.
Why This Matters
Fish are good models for studying reproductive health because their reproductive genes and processes are similar to human, making these findings potentially translatable to people.
The implications are particularly significant for high-exposure populations: military personnel handling explosives, industrial workers in chemical manufacturing, and anyone regularly exposed to fireworks production. While more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans, the findings suggest that something as simple and accessible as vitamin C supplementation could provide meaningful protection.
Beyond the Battlefield
Potassium perchlorate is considered an emerging environmental contaminant, meaning exposure isn’t limited to occupational settings. The chemical can contaminate water supplies and persist in the environment, making this research relevant to broader public health.
Bhandari’s work underscores both the potential reproductive risks of this chemical and the promising potential of vitamin C as a protective intervention—offering hope that we might shield fertility with one of the most accessible and affordable supplements available.
For those in high-risk occupations, the message is clear: while more research is needed, ensuring adequate vitamin C intake could be a simple, cost-effective strategy to protect reproductive health against environmental threats that come with the job.
This topic was featured in Great News podcast episode 28.
Source: Futurity
