An alarming new study of 5,000 Danish men has found that only 25% of young men (average age 19) have good quality sperm. The study also found that average semen volume is a quarter less than it was in the 1940s. We are literally less manly than our grandfathers and great-grandfathers.
The culprit? The researchers don’t know exactly, but they believe the problem is caused by the chemicals in our environment:
Modern life is having an impact because we are exposed to so many chemicals and we don’t know what they do… Chemicals found in sun cream, cosmetics, frying pans, cars, foods and even in items of clothing could all increase risks to sperm.
They singled out sunscreen as something that should be avoided:
We are advised to protect ourselves with these sunblocks but it seems when you go to the laboratory and test some of these chemicals they can interfere with the sperm function.
The fact that male fertility is declining is bad news if you and your wife are trying to conceive, but it is also bad news in general for all men. Throughout history, a man’s virility and ability to sire children was one indicator of manliness. It’s also a bad sign for Western civilization as a whole because it means that we are less fecund than other groups that are living in a less developed, more natural environment.
The chemicals in our environment are ubiquitous, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take steps to limit our exposure.
Daily sunscreen use is probably unnecessary unless you are a roofer, life guard, or professional golfer. You likely need a little more exposure to the sun, not less. Plus, it just seems a little unmanly to have to put on sun block before you drive to your office job.
Deodorants and antiperspirants can easily be replaced by baking soda. I made the switch a few months back. As crazy as it sounds, baking soda really works. It used to be that by the end of the day, I had to take a second shower just to ensure I still smelled good. Now that I use baking soda, I never have to worry. The stuff is just amazing and works 100 times better than anything you can buy in the store.
Whatever you can do to limit your exposure to modern chemicals will be worth it in the long run, because these chemicals are not just lowering our fertility. They are also lowering our testosterone levels, which makes us less manly and more beta.
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