Shocking steep decline in sperm counts of Western men

Shocking steep decline in sperm counts of Western men

Men living in Western countries who presume their sperm counts are strong and plentiful for male reproduction, may need to think twice on that assumption.  A concerning new meta-analysis of 185 studies published between 1971 and 2011 involving almost 43,000 men has found a disturbing 52.4 percent decline in sperm concentration and a 59.3 percent decline in total sperm count among men from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.  This averages to a 1.4 percent reduction each year of the concentration of sperm in the ejaculate of men from these countries. This points to a possible threat to male infertility in the years ahead. 

This has taken the scientific community by surprise with many calling it a huge public health crisis that has been neglected far too long.  This is not the first time researchers have had concerns about declining men’s sperm counts as previous studies have shown the same thing.  For example, in Canada, 40 to 45 percent of the time, it is a male issue contributing to problems of conception – sometimes it might be a low sperm count, or a blockage when they ejaculate, or a history of injuries or surgical procedures affecting their testicles.  There are also concerns surrounding male reproductive function as rates of testicular cancer are on the rise.  

Men with low sperm counts is only part of the troubling concern of this phenomena as men with low sperm counts also go on to have a higher all-cause mortality.  These men have been shown to have a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer thus dying at a younger age.  

There is much less data on men from non-Western countries so it is difficult to compare any similarities or trends in those areas of the world.  

At this time, there is no clear explanation for why men living in Western countries are experiencing a reduction in male fertility.  Some researchers are speculating that the real damage is happening during exposures to the male fetus occurring in the womb.  Research has found that expectant mothers, who smoked while pregnant with a boy, have sons with lower sperm counts, regardless if the son ever smoked or not. 

Other possibilities being considered are men’s exposure to new, man-made chemicals such as pesticides, also smoking, obesity, and stress.  Even though these all could play a significant role in harming a man’s reproductive capability, what is known is that male reproductive function is very sensitive to environmental impact throughout a man’s lifespan. 

Until there is a better idea pinpointing what is causing this alarming reduction in male sperm counts, here a few suggestions for men on ways to possibly protect and preserve the number of sperm they have:

·      Reduce stress – have hobbies that are relaxing

·      Do not smoke or use other tobacco products

·      Avoid excessive drinking

·      Limit exposure to chemicals

·      Avoid direct heat to the testicles

·      Have a regular fitness routine

·      Eat a healthy diet

·      Maintain a healthy body weight