Attention Men: Your Job Might Be Decimating Your Sperm Count

Throughout most of human history, jobs of all types were physically demanding. From hunting to farming to construction, people (often men) relied on brute strength to get things done and earn a paycheck in the process.

While such jobs still exist, a growing number of positions rely almost exclusively on mental power, ushering in a largely sedentary age. Not only is this potentially hazardous for health, but studies show it might also be a major factor in the reduced fertility levels among modern men.

Do you even lift?

For those of us whose jobs don’t require much, if any, manual labor, it’s crucial to hit the gym or get some exercise in other ways. When it comes to sperm count, though, there seems to be one particular type of activity that is most important.

In a new Harvard Medical School study, researchers found that jobs requiring men to lift heavy objects correlated with higher fertility levels.

Study author Lidia Minguez-Alarcon wrote: “What these new findings suggest is that physical activity during work may also be associated with significant improvement in men’s reproductive potential.”

Fertility by the numbers

There are clearly many reasons that humans can suffer from infertility and the recent research leaves open the possibility that other environmental and lifestyle issues can also contribute to lower sperm count.

If you’re wondering how serious the issue has become, here’s a breakdown of relevant statistics:

• Roughly 40% of all reported infertility cases are due to the male.
• Sperm count and quality (among men being treated for infertility) dropped by more than 40% between 2000 and 2017.
• Low fertility is associated with health problems from cardiovascular disease to autoimmune deficiencies.
• Men who move heavy objects at work had 46% higher sperm concentration and 44% higher sperm count than those who do not.

Chris Agee February 28th, 2023

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