The Most Harmful Sperm Killers Causing Male Infertility

Infertility rates are rising in men — here’s how to increase the quality and quantity of your swimmers

Since J.D Vance’s despicable comments attacking democrats as “childless sociopaths” who “don’t have a direct stake in this country” due to their childlessness, there’s been much discussion on how his comments hurt women who are unable to conceive.

Reminder: 50% of conception problems occur on the male side.

The following is a reprint that appeared in Sexography on Mar 4, 2021.

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In one of my favorite Monty Python skits, “Every Sperm is Sacred,” the song lampoons the Catholic church with;

“Every sperm is sacred
Every sperm is great
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.”

Well, God must be getting pretty irate because lately…sperm are not doing so great.

The numbers are staggering. In the last forty years, sperm counts have plummeted by more than 59 percent in Western countries. And since 50 percent of infertility problems in couples trying to conceive are due to male infertility, this should be a wake-up call to men who care about their reproductive health — your swimmers are drowning.

Part of the problem is testosterone levels have declined by 1 percent per year since 1982. Lower testosterone not only means lower sex drive but testosterone is needed to create sperm. 26 percent of men with erectile dysfunction are now under the age of 40.

And it’s not just the quantity of sperm that is dropping. We have a quality control problem too. While some misshapen sperm is normal, an increasing number of two-headed sperm, sperm with missing tales, and sperm with tapered heads show up in semen analyses.

And while quirkiness is always appreciated in men, in sperm…it spells trouble. In several research studies, the shape of sperm — morphology — influences its ability to fertilize the egg.

Artwork: © Carlyn Beccia | www.CarlynBeccia.com

Sperm motility — sperm’s swimming ability — has also decreased. When poor sperm motility occurs, sperm swim so slowly that they die before reaching the egg. Some sperm with poor motility swim in circles like a bad Finding Nemo sequel.

This naturally has demographers worried. If infertility rates are not reversed in the next generation, we will have an inverted population — a population that is weighted too heavily toward older people. In other words, when older people outnumber younger people, society does not have enough of a working class to support the cost of an aging population. The result is economic collapse.

If this sounds like doomsday prophesies, I don’t blame you for being dubious. We have been taught for decades that there are too many people on our big blue planet. Only in the last fifteen years have scientists reversed their warnings concerning population growth and begun to sound the alarm.

The bad news is that once a woman’s eggs are damaged, the harm is often irreversible. But that irreversibility is not true for men. Simple lifestyle changes can improve the quality and quantity of sperm.

How to have Michael Phelps swimmers

Avoid plastics

Plastics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) — substances in the environment that mimic hormones and thereby disrupt the delicate endocrine system. Studies show that EDCs in our environment have been linked to decreasing sperm counts and lower testosterone levels.

Here are a few ways you can reduce your exposure to EDCs in plastics.

• Swap plastic food containers for glass, ceramic, and metal containers.

• Replace plastic baggies with reusable lunch bags.

• Never microwave any plastic container, and that includes food covered in plastic wrap.

Stop eating foods out of cans.

Whenever there is a can drive at my daughter’s school, I ask to donate money instead. I just can’t play a part in murdering sperm.

Most cans are lined with dangerous Bisphenol A (BPAs) to keep them from corroding. These BPAs are also endocrine disruptors. Several studies have linked exposure to BPAs to male infertility.

Use a water filtration system.

You wouldn’t think something as simple as drinking water could alter your sperm count, but there’s something dirty in the water. Blame it on the idiots flushing their meds down the toilet, but the average drinking water comes with a host of pharmaceuticals, including female birth control. (To dispose of medicine properly, mix it with coffee grinds and seal it in a plastic bag.)

Many people turn to bottled water to reduce their exposure to these pharmaceuticals, but then you only replace one problem with another because BPAs line plastic water bottles.

Others turn to well water, but arsenic levels in well water have been linked to erectile dysfunction.

Your best bet is to purchase a high-quality glass (not plastic) water filter.

Stop using personal care products with dangerous ingredients.

The cosmetic industry is poorly regulated because the FDA has far less authority over it than the drug industry. And the truth, men, is this — women like the smell of a man with a little soap and water. Most colognes irritate us. But if you must splash on that cologne or aftershave, here is what you should look for in your personal care items.

• Avoid parabens or look for products labeled “paraben-free.” Parabens are found in ingredients that begin with methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl-, and iso-butyl-parabens.

• Avoid phthalates — the chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. Phthalates have been found to decrease sperm motility, and they are used in many fragrances.

• Avoid personal care products that are labeled antibacterial.

• Swap products in plastic containers for those in glass containers.

• Stop using air fresheners and open a window. Air fresheners also contain phthalates.

Do not use a vinyl shower curtain.

It not only looks ghetto but also releases dangerous phthalates into your bathroom. Instead, choose a shower curtain made from linen (linen is antibacterial) or cotton. Yes, it is more expensive, but so is poor health.

Clean

Yes, I know….I am pushing it. But how much do you love your sperm? Love them enough to dust because dust harbors chemicals that you then inhale or absorb through your skin. One study found that 90 percent of households had dust that contained harmful chemicals. And once those chemicals start disrupting your hormones, it is game over for your sperm.

And to avoid tracking pesticides into your home (also not great for sperm), always remove your shoes at the door.

Stop melting your sperm.

I had a male friend who was surprised to learn that his daily saunas were causing his infertility problems. When the testes get too heated, sperm die.

And the same goes for biking in tight shorts. That constricting material is heating your testicles and killing your sperm.

And if you must use a laptop near the precious family jewels…use a laptop pad. Even a laptop heats up enough to reduce sperm counts.

Move

Men who exercise have higher sperm counts. But if you are leading a sedentary life, you can increase sperm count in months with only moderate exercise. The latest research found men who exercise moderately three to five times a week improved sperm quality and quantity.

Stop drinking sugary drinks.

Every time I see a guy at the gym with one of those sugary sports drinks, I mourn for his sperm. Sugary drinks may give you a surge of energy, but they turn your sperm into couch potatoes. In the latest study from the Journal of Human Reproduction, sugary drinks decreased sperm motility. Oddly, the study found this was only true for healthy, lean men.

The study did not find that the extra sugar affected sperm concentration, shape, or ejaculation volume. But as mentioned earlier, slow swimmers don’t take the gold.

Lose weight

It won’t surprise anyone that obesity can negatively affect sperm production. One study found for every 9 kg (20 pounds) a man is overweight, his infertility odds increase by 10%.

One reason is heat. Extra fat around the waist and testicles increases the temperature around the scrotum. And heat is very bad for sperm.

Fat tissue also converts testosterone into estrogen. And while that extra dose of estrogen might get you more likely to watch that rom-com flick with your lady, estrogen has also been linked to erectile dysfunction, developing larger breasts, stroke, blood clots, diabetes, certain cancers, dementia, and depression.

Eat a Mediterranean diet.

Here’s a good rule of thumb from Shanna Swan, author of Count Down: How Our Modern World is Threatening Sperm — if the food has a TV commercial, skip it. Think about it…when was the last time you got an advertising jingle for broccoli stuck in your head?

A healthier diet also has the most immediate effects on sperm. One 2019 study found that eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains increased sperm motility in just one week.

And research has also found that eating more Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish improves semen quality. (But remember to remove the skin and fat before cooking to reduce your exposure to dangerous PCBs found in fish.)

Cut down on alcohol

I know…I am such a buzzkill. How dare I lecture on drinking alcohol when you have to pry my favorite bourbon from my hypocritical hands. But while the effects of alcohol on pregnant women and women trying to conceive have been well-documented, researchers have only just begun to discover what booze does to your baby batter.

And it’s not good. The latest research found that excessive alcohol consumption affected sperm count, shape, and motility. It also lowered testosterone levels and shrunk testes. The good news is that moderate drinking (fewer than five drinks per week) did not wreak havoc on your swimmers.

So perhaps the Surgeon General should change the warning labels on alcohol? Instead of reading, “Women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects,” they should read, “Men should not drink alcoholic beverages while trying to impregnate women because it will shrivel up your balls.”

Feel free to wordsmith that one…

Stop smoking

No, seriously. Stop. If there is one harmful thing on this list that could have the greatest impact on your sperm, it is smoking. In a 2016 meta-analysis, smoking was found to decrease sperm count, decrease sperm motility, and increase abnormal sperm morphology. Most alarming, smoking increases DNA fragmentation in men, which leads to higher rates of miscarriages and birth defects.

Simply put, smoking is toxic to sperm.

Reduce stress

Stress and its impact on sperm are probably the least understood fertility disrupter. We know that excessive stress reduces sperm count, reduces motility, and increases abnormal morphology. Again, the triumvirate of sperm killers.

Stress tends to get a bad rap, but some stress is good for you. Your goal should be to reduce bad stress — the stress that doesn’t motivate you toward positive change but instead cripples you with anxiety.

Be aware of age-related decline in sperm.

I see it frequently on dating apps — men over forty who say they want children. Men have been conditioned to believe they can have children at any age, and that is simply not true.

As men age, the volume of sperm decreases, sperm swim slower, and chromosomal abnormalities increase. Older men also have children with a higher incidence of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and mental health issues such as schizophrenia.

Studies have also found that men older than forty have a 60 percent increased risk of miscarriage.

Don’t wait until there is a problem to test your sperm count.

Most women have their hormone levels checked at yearly doctor visits. Typically, doctors will assign an age to their reproductive health. (Note: don’t count on that number being accurate. It’s not an exact science.)

Why are doctors not doing the same for men? If more men tested their sperm count in their thirties, they would be able to predict problems that might arise in their forties. Society has taught men that women are the ones who have a closing reproductive window, and that fallacy has caused far too many men to discover their infertility when it is too late to correct it.

And there are options for men who want to wait to have children (if you can afford it.) Cryobanking services allow younger men to bank their sperm until they are ready to have families.

Obviously, the other cause of rising infertility rates is found in women. Besides the fact that more women are delaying having children or choosing not to have them, the rates of miscarriages have increased by about 1 percent per year. Most experts are blaming our environment.

But when many women experience a miscarriage, it is common for them to endure a battery of tests, even though many miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities in sperm. Male infertility is the only medical condition treated by torturing a woman’s body through painful and dangerous fertility treatments.

But if more men became educated about their reproductive health and took steps to have healthier sperm, infertility rates would decrease. Of course, many of the above lifestyle changes, such as; reducing harmful environmental factors, cleaner diets, exercise, etc., must also be done by women. But the onus for reproductive health must be shared.

Or, as Monty Python more profoundly observed,

“Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.”

Treat yours with care.

Carlyn Beccia is an award-winning author and illustrator of 13 books. Subscribe to Conversations with Carlyn for free content every Wednesday, or become a paid subscriber to get the juicy stuff on Sundays.