Private MD News

Common herbicide linked to prostate health problems

Category: Prostate

PSA testing may benefit men who have been exposed to the herbicide Atrazine, as a new study has found that the weed killer may cause inflammation that leads to prostate health problems.

Atrazine is a widely used herbicide on corn and sugar cane farms. It has also been shown to be persistent when it gets into the broader environment and can be difficult to clean up. Some have suggested that it may have made its way into water supplies in areas that have this type of agriculture.

Researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences used lab mice to test the effects of the herbicide. They found that mice that were exposed to the chemical - even in low levels - showed signs of prostate inflammation at significantly higher rates than mice who were not exposed.

"We didn't expect to see these kinds of effects at such low levels," said Suzanne Fenton, who led the study. She added that mice that were exposed to the chemical also showed signs of delayed puberty, which confirms findings of previous research into the dangerous effects of Atrizine.