Toxins also cause infertility in men

WHAT are toxins and can they kill immediately like poisons do?

Toxins, from the name, refer to toxic substances foreign to the body system. As such, the body treats them as strange and reacts negatively when taken inadvertently or inadvertently. They can damage the internal organs of the body, including the blood, and affect the functioning of the body. This can lead to different diseases including kidney and liver diseases, as well as cancer, if the individual is ultimately not properly taken care of. Toxins are very common and present in our environment. In many cases, these toxins build up over time in the body when people are exposed to them. Bioaccumulation of toxic substances from overexposure and inappropriate use of toxic chemicals can lead to lifelong problems.

Where are these toxins?

In many settings, toxic chemicals in industrial effluents can deposit directly into soil and water. In addition, toxic chemicals emanating from tanning operations, mining, and the indiscriminate use of agricultural pesticides and herbicides, at levels or rates far in excess of those tolerable to humans, can present health risks. In addition, it is recognized that accidental exposure occurs through the consumption of food contaminated with chemicals. Now, all toxins are poisons while not all poisons are toxins. In Nigeria, aflatoxins and fumonisins present in almost all crops such as sorghum, maize and groundnuts are the most common toxins of economic and health importance. Other food items for which mycotoxin contamination has been reported in Nigeria are dried yam chips, tigernuts, melon seeds and stored herbaceous plants.

Mycotoxin contamination of various foodstuffs and agricultural products is a major problem in tropical and subtropical regions because climatic conditions and agricultural and storage practices are conducive to fungal growth and toxin production. Additionally, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a form of toxin, can also be present in charcoal-grilled fish and meat. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of carcinogens formed when wood or charcoal is burned and deposited in foods to be roasted. They have been classified as carcinogens. Their presence in food and feed is unavoidable and as such, humans and animals are constantly exposed to them leading to a wide range of health complications. In particular, aflatoxins B1 and fumonisins have been directly linked to cancers and death in humans and animals.

Of course, contamination and toxin buildup can also result from the indiscriminate use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. Pesticides are absorbed by plants and food substances such as corn, fruits and vegetables. There are reports of farmers spraying cabbage with pesticides to preserve it; some use snipers to preserve beans, while traders use chemicals to force ripe fruits and plantains. When individuals take in such substances, they indirectly take in these toxic agents and they can easily accumulate in the body. Over time, they can have deleterious effects on them.

Is it possible to identify these contaminated foods and how can individuals limit the risks from contaminated foods?

You can't identify these contaminated food substances or cultures because the toxin is already part of the food and it's not something you can see with the naked eye, except maybe the ones that research has reported as contaminated. Thus, the toxins are inadvertently consumed. Individuals limit their risk from contaminated food by being aware of some of these toxins and possibly paying attention to the type of food substances they consume and where they go to buy their food. If that fails, the only thing to do is to make sure they take substances that can counteract some of the effects of these toxins in their body. Things like fruits and green leafy vegetables contain antioxidants that can help detoxify the body and counteract oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals and other toxins that increase disease risk.

Antioxidants protect the cells of the body against damage caused by molecules called free radicals that occur naturally due to processes that take place inside the cells of the body. Research suggests that free radical damage plays a role in conditions such as dementia, heart disease, liver disease, asthma, and certain types of cancer. Nutraceuticals are substances derived from food and plant substances that have the ability to act against free radicals and the ability to act against contaminants and toxins in the system. They are derived from food substances like tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and even foods like fish. They are able to prevent some of the diseases that can be caused by toxins, including cancers as well as heart, kidney and brain disease. Currently, Nigeria's level of awareness of toxins and their health implications...