Dec 12, 2022 07:00:00

Research results that men's sperm count has halved in the past 40 years due to lifestyle habits and chemicals

Male

sperm is essential for reproductive activity, but in recent years there have been many reports that the number of sperm contained in male semen is decreasing. A new study lists factors that may increase the risk of low sperm count, including lifestyle and chemical intake.

Temporal trends in sperm count: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis | Human Reproduction Update | Oxford Academic
https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmx022

OP-HURU220035 1..20 - dmac035+corrected
https://static.primary.prod.gcms.the-infra.com/static/site/humrep/document/dmac035+corrected

Sperm counts worldwide are plummeting faster than we thought
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/sperm-counts-worldwide-plummeting-fast-infertility-lifestyle

In 2022, a research team led by Hagai Levine , a public health physician at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, conducted a meta-analysis of papers published from 2014 to 2019, and found that men contained in 1 ml of semen in about 40 years. The sperm count has decreased by more than half, revealing that the pace of sperm count decline has accelerated in the 21st century.

It turns out that men's 'sperm count' has been halved worldwide in the past 40 years and the pace of decline is accelerating in the 21st century-GIGAZINE

One of the problems faced by the decrease in sperm count is an increase in infertility. David M. Kristensen , a molecular toxicologist at Roskilde University in Denmark and the University of Copenhagen , said: 'In many countries suffering from declining populations, such as Italy and Japan, men with low sperm counts and poor ability to fertilize with their partners. The percentage has increased significantly,” he said.

In addition to reproductive issues, there is also concern that low sperm counts are linked to a variety of male health problems . 'There is a risk, and poor semen quality has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer and cardiovascular disease.'

For example, it has been pointed out that toxic chemicals that a mother comes into contact with during early pregnancy can permanently affect the reproductive development of the unborn child. On the other hand, the damage to sperm caused by men's exposure to smoking and pesticides may be reversed by stopping exposure to harmful chemicals.

It has been pointed out that the decrease in sperm count is caused by environmental factors and lifestyle habits, and endocrine disruptors such as pesticides, smoking, and obesity are cited as factors. According to a 2019 study , overweight men tend to have lower sperm concentration, lower total sperm count, and fewer active sperm.

The details of sperm count decline are not clear, but it is possible that different chemicals mix in the environment, magnifying each other's negative effects and potentially having more detrimental effects. Exposure is thought to be cumulative over many generations.

Eisenberg calls for lifestyle habits such as healthy eating, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking as necessary to suppress the decline in sperm count. To reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors, Shanna Swan of Mount Sinai School of Medicine also recommends using phthalates in plastics, nail polish and shampoos , bisphenol A in hard plastics and adhesives, and pesticides. I recommend that you pay attention to

'Regional and global efforts are needed to reduce or eliminate chemicals,' said Swan et al.