MEN could be facing an epidemic of penis problems as thousands of British homes are plagued with mould.
Damp, mould, and condensation affect more than a fifth of UK household, a recent study has found.
GettyMould found in homes can cause lead to some serious hormonal issues[/caption]
And with the climate crisis, increased rainfall and surging gas and electric prices the risk of damp and mould in the buildings we live in is only going to get worse.
While many are aware the stuff can increase your risk of respiratory conditions, fewer know how it can affect you down below.
Experts at British online pharmacy Chemist Click said that certain types of mould that grow in water-damaged buildings, furniture may lower testosterone in men and women.
While normal amounts of mould are unlikely to make an impact, excess mould in homes can cause major hormonal issues, studies have found.
Pharmacist Abbas Kanani, an expert from Chemist Click said: “Low testosterone levels can cause erectile dysfunction in men.
“This can also impact testicle size, as well as cause loss of armpit and pubic hair and low or zero sperm count,” he added.
For women, weight gain, low libido and mood swings are all triggered by low testosterone levels.
And to make matters worse, hormonal changes can cause a spike in cortisol levels, which can affect how people sleep and deal with stress.
Other studies have found that over a prolonged high cortisol levels can lead to a lack of sex drive, muscle weakness and cause menstrual cycles to become irregular, less frequent, or stop altogether.
Here are 3 others reasons why your balls might shrink
1. Getting too boozy
Drinking too much alcohol is just as bad for your balls as it is for the rest of your health.
Some studies have found booze can cause your testosterone levels to drop and damage your testicular tissues, which could shrink your grapes into raisins.
To be on the safe side, the NHS recommends you drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
That’s just six pints or glasses of wine.
2. Cancer
One of the more serious reasons your nuts may have shrunk is cancer.
In rare cases testicular cancer can cause your balls to atrophy.
According to Cancer Research UK, it’s the most common type of cancer in young men.
In the UK, around 2,200 men are diagnosed each year.
If you notice any change in your balls you should speak to a doctor straight away.
3. Infection
There’s a specific type of infection that can cause your nuts to decrease in size.
It’s called orchitis and can be caused by either a bacterial or viral infection.
Sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea can be culprits, as can urinary tract infections and other bacterial infections.
Orchitis causes pain and inflammation in the balls that, if left untreated, can damage the tissues in the testicles and cause them to shrink.