The scale of the issue
Professor Ledger of Sheffield University sees male infertility as a serious problem. “The sustainability of the population of Europe is at risk,” he claims, “because there are too few children being born. It is a real threat to the future”.
A recent study by Norwich Union Healthcare concluded that around two and a half million men in the UK have fertility problems – which accounts for a staggering 9% of the adult male population. This accounts for over 30% of all infertility problems. Other studies have shown that both the number and quality of sperm per ejaculation have declined significantly over the last thirty years.
The main causes of male infertility
Doctors often cite lifestyle factors, such as smoking, as the cause of infertility in men. This may seem counterintuitive, since smoking levels have declined in recent years, yet infertility is on the rise. Clearly smoking is just one of many factors that can influence the issue, and although fewer men now smoke, it is still harmful to the fertility of those who do.
Another major factor that influences male fertility is excessive alcohol consumption. With the rise of the binge drinking culture amongst younger males, plus greater access to (and acceptance of) alcohol in society, it’s no surprise that this is contributing to the problem. Steady amounts, and sudden high amounts, of alcohol both adversely affect sperm quality.
Another issue affecting male fertility is obesity. Sperm are highly sensitive to increases in temperature, and the insulating effect of fatty tissue can be very damaging. This is linked to our increasingly sedentary lifestyle in two ways. Firstly, the lack of exercise itself decreases healthy body function including sperm production, and secondly, the longer one spends sitting, the more ‘incubated’ the testicles become, making temperature regulation more difficult and damage more likely.