Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb 22: Renowned scientist and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Ajai Kumar Sonkar has issued a serious scientific warning, stating that polyester and other synthetic textiles are emerging as a hidden public health threat, capable of damaging human fertility, accelerating aging, and triggering multiple chronic diseases.
Dr. Ajai told the press that while polyester is widely perceived as a harmless, convenient fabric, scientific evidence now indicates that it behaves like a slow biological toxin.
“Polyester is no longer just a clothing material, it is gradually acting as an invisible endocrine disruptor, disturbing the entire hormonal system of the human body,” Dr. Ajai said.
Polyester & Infertility Crisis
Renowned scientist revealed that several experimental studies have demonstrated alarming reproductive effects of polyester exposure. In one such study, nearly 75% of female dogs wearing polyester garments failed to conceive, due to a drastic reduction in progesterone hormone levels.
“Progesterone is the central hormone for ovulation, conception, pregnancy maintenance, and fetal development. When its level collapses, infertility becomes inevitable,” Dr. Ajai explained.
Padma Shri Scientist further said that polyester contains endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates, bisphenols, antimony compounds, and microplastic residues, which interfere directly with hormonal signaling, leading to:
Reduced sperm count and motility
Hormonal imbalance in women
Irregular ovulation
Increased miscarriages
Long-term reproductive failure
“This explains the rising global infertility crisis. What we are witnessing today is not merely a lifestyle issue, but a chemically driven biological collapse,” he warned.
Severe Health Risks for Elderly People
Dr. Ajai told that endocrine disruption caused by polyester is especially dangerous for elderly individuals, whose hormonal reserves, detoxification capacity, and immune strength are already weakened.
“In elderly people, endocrine disruptors act as powerful accelerators of aging and disease progression,” he said.
Renowned Scientist revealed that chronic exposure to polyester-linked chemicals may lead to:
Rapid cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease
Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke
Severe immune suppression and chronic inflammation
Osteoporosis, muscle wasting, frailty, and fractures
Hormone-related cancers, breast, prostate, thyroid, and endometrial cancers
“What appears as normal aging is actually chemically accelerated degeneration,” Dr. Ajai emphasized.
Microplastics, The Invisible Invasion
Padma Shri Scientist further said that polyester fabrics continuously shed microplastic fibers, which are inhaled and absorbed through the skin.
“These microplastics penetrate deep into lungs, bloodstream, brain, and even cross the placental barrier, affecting unborn children,” he cautioned.
He warned that humanity is unknowingly turning itself into a plastic-based biological experiment.
A Global Public Health Emergency
Dr. Ajai told the press that the polyester-driven endocrine disruption is not an isolated problem but a global health emergency, contributing to:
Exploding infertility rates
Early-onset diabetes and heart disease
Rising neurological disorders
Accelerated aging
Weakening of human genetic health
“This is not just a textile problem. It is a threat to human survival and future generations,” he stated.
Urgent Call to Action
Renowned Scientist revealed that urgent steps must be taken:
Promote natural fibers, cotton, silk, wool, linen
Strict regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Public awareness campaigns on safe clothing choices
Large-scale scientific research on microplastic toxicity
“If immediate corrective measures are not taken, humanity may face a silent biological catastrophe,” Padma Shri Scientist Dr. Ajai Kumar Sonkar concluded.