We’ve never had to work this hard to start a family
Male Fertility in the Modern Age
If you’ve had a conversation with a married couple recently, there are good odds “trying to have kids” has been mentioned. In fact, 1 in 10 women in the US have received fertility services according to Pew Research Center. (source)
Maybe I spaced out in middle school health class, or I’ve just been blissfully unaware my whole life, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve never had to work this hard to start a family. Maybe you’ve seen reference to sperm count dropping 50-60% in western men from 1973 to 2011. (source) Perhaps it has been references to $15,000-20,000 IVF treatments that have caught your attention (source). But what I’m not hearing is the elephant in the room.
In fact, male factor infertility is a contributing factor in approximately 30%–40% of couples with infertility and is the primary factor in 20% of cases. (source)
Yet, it often goes unmentioned, and it’s high time we shine a light on this overlooked piece of the fertility puzzle.
The Obvious Stuff
First, let’s rattle off the health basics for boosting male fertility—stuff that shouldn’t shock anyone:
Don’t be overweight or underweight. Extra pounds can lower testosterone and increase estrogen. Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome as a whole have a negative impact on various parameters of male fertility, from semen quality to sperm DNA integrity. Being underweight can also throw your body’s balance out of whack. When you dip too far below a healthy weight, you risk nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and (as studies point out) lower sperm counts. This underscores that there’s a “sweet spot” when it comes to weight and reproductive health. The optimal BMI for male fertility seems to be 18.5–24.9 (source)
Stay active. Regular exercise promotes better hormone balance and overall testicular health. Two interesting notes on exercise and fertility:
Men in the highest quartile of moderate-to-vigorous activity had a 73% higher sperm concentration than those in the lowest quartile. In contrast, those watching over 20 hours of television weekly experienced a 44% reduction in sperm concentration! (source)
Moderate-intensity continuous training (Zone 2) significantly improved the markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in semen samples. In stark contrast, the other two modalities—strength training and high-intensity interval training—did not yield similar improvements! (Source)
Dial in your diet. Stick to whole foods. Minimize processed junk. Drink plenty of water (just maybe not from cheap plastic bottles—more on that later).
Omega-3 PUFAs: In one particular study focused on fertility and diet, increased omega-3 PUFAs (think fatty fish etc) consumption was positively correlated to normal sperm makeup. (source) If your diet is low in omega-3s (particularly DHA, a key omega-3 fatty acid), the sperm membrane may end up less fluid and improperly formed. Sperm cells rely on these fats to maintain the right membrane structure—essentially, to stay flexible and functional. Without enough omega-3 PUFAs, you’re more likely to see abnormal shapes (morphology) and potentially lower fertility as a result.
Quit smoking and be mindful of booze. Chronic heavy drinking and smoking are basically the arch-nemeses of sperm quality.
If you’re not doing the obvious, nothing else really matters. Now let’s talk about the sneaky, lesser-known culprits out there. Because even if you’re crushing life, 21st-century life has some stealth fertility traps you should know about.
I’m confident the below topics will stay on the fringe for another decade but, as the fertility crisis grows, they’ll eventually have their ‘sauna and cold-plunge moment’—becoming mainstream and widely embraced.
Below are some big ones tied to real, peer-reviewed research in humans (no mouse or rat data—promise!). Each example includes the direct link and a verbatim quote from the abstract or results so you can see for yourself.
1. Phthalates in Synthetic Clothing
We all love comfortable underwear and athleisure, but many synthetic fabrics (think polyester, spandex blends) may contain phthalates—chemicals known to disrupt hormones. Sure, it’s not a total 1:1 that all synthetic underwear = phthalates, but the possibility is out there, and phthalate exposure has been tied to worse semen parameters in men.
Study Reference
Hauser R, Meeker JD, Duty SM, Silva MJ, Calafat AM.
“Altered semen quality in relation to urinary concentrations of phthalate monoester and oxidative metabolites.” Epidemiology. 2006;17(4):485-93.
PubMed Link
2. Cell Phone Use in Front Pockets
I know, I know—where else are you supposed to stash your phone? But research suggests that guys who keep their phone in their front pocket for extended periods might see a negative impact on semen quality. The correlation is strong enough that it’s worth at least thinking about.
Study Reference
Agarwal A, Deepinder F, Sharma RK, Ranga G, Li J.
“Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study.” Fertility and Sterility. 2008;89(1):124-128.
PubMed LinkDirect Quote from Abstract
“Cell phone use is associated with a decrease in semen quality, including decreased sperm count, motility, viability, and normal morphology.”
Interestingly, this study in rats showed rats exposed to 6 hours of daily cellular phone emissions for 18 weeks exhibited a significantly higher incidence of sperm cell death than control group rats.
3. BPA in Plastics
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is the plastic boogeyman that just won’t go away. Even though many companies now tout “BPA-free” products, BPA still shows up in certain water bottles, canned foods, and older plastic containers. In humans, BPA has been linked to decreased sperm quality and counts.
Study Reference
Li DK, Zhou Z, Miao M, He Y, Wang J, et al.
“Urine bisphenol-A (BPA) level in relation to semen quality.” Fertility and Sterility. 2011;95(2):625-630.
PubMed LinkDirect Quote
“Our data suggest that BPA is associated with decreased sperm concentration, decreased total sperm count, decreased sperm vitality and decreased sperm motility.”
Opt for glass or stainless steel water bottles whenever possible, and stay mindful of plastic containers that look old or scratched.
A 2022 study demonstrated that plastic cutting boards can transfer microplastics to meat, leading to microplastic buildup in the food prepared on them. (source)
4. Pesticides and Semen Quality
If you’re like me, the idea of pesticides affecting your fertility is not exactly surprising. But the extent to which these chemicals can affect sperm count and motility is becoming increasingly clear in real human studies. Yes, that means the stuff that ends up on conventional produce or in your water supply.
Study Reference
Swan SH, Kruse RL, Liu F, Barr DB, Drobnis EZ, et al.
“Semen quality in relation to biomarkers of pesticide exposure.” Environmental Health Perspectives. 2003;111(12):1478-1484.
PubMed Link
The above study was the first population-based study to demonstrate links between specific biomarkers of environmental exposures and male fertility in humans. They looked at two groups of Midwestern men- one group lived in rural areas with high pesticide use, and the other in more urban settings with lower exposure. They found that men in the rural group, who were more likely to come into contact with pesticides like atrazine, showed significantly worse sperm quality—lower concentration, reduced motility, and abnormal morphology. The study also found that semen quality was poorer in late summer and fall compared to winter, a pattern plausibly linked to higher agricultural exposures during those months.
5. Parabens in Personal Care Products
Last up: parabens, a type of preservative found in everything from lotions to shampoos. Research on couples trying to conceive found that higher urinary levels of parabens correlated with lower fertility. Not exactly the products you want to be bathing in everyday.
Study Reference
Preau JL, Wong WY, Sundaram R, et al.
“Urinary concentrations of parabens and other antimicrobial chemicals and their association with couples’ fecundity.” Reproductive Toxicology. 2018;77:51-59.
Pubmed Link
Takeaway: Scan those labels and consider “paraben-free” products or cleaner, more natural alternatives. Small change, huge potential benefit.
What now?
There’s plenty in the world we can’t control. But if you’re serious about protecting your fertility there are relatively easy tweaks out there:
Wear cotton (especially your underwear).
Keep the phone away from your sensitive areas.
Watch out for BPA in plastics.
Be cautious with pesticide-laden produce.
Avoid parabens in personal care products.
It’s not fun to become a conspiracy theorist or a miserable human being who can’t drink out of a plastic water bottle. However, we should acknowledge that we are continually soaking in a subtle bath of harmful exposures in our daily lives. With each passing day, there are opportunities to replace that bath water with a slightly better version.
Most guys and hopeful families are likely fighting winnable battles with fertility, where minor lifestyle changes could yield generational wins, kids!