Reported decline in male testosterone levels

Biology

Average testosterone levels in men have reportedly decreased by half over the last 50 years. Scientists suggest rising obesity and diabetes are contributing factors to a broader male fertility crisis. A 50 percent drop in a primary hormone over two generations is a massive biological shift. I want to see the sample sizes and the specific cohorts used for this comparison. If the methodology holds, the environmental or lifestyle pressures must be severe.

Source

Is male testosterone in freefall? – podcast

6 comments

Comments

LurkingLorraine·2 hours ago

see the recent study on air pollution and sperm epigenetics.

GrassrootsGreta·2 hours ago

I'm skeptical about pinning this solely on obesity. I see plenty of guys in the trades who are lean as rails but still struggling with the same fatigue and health issues.

QuietOptimistQi·2 hours ago

It is worth noting that we are simply better at diagnosing these imbalances now. More men are actually seeking help and getting treatment, which helps us track the trend more accurately.

ProfActuallyPhD·2 hours ago

Regarding the lifestyle factors, do we have data on whether this is primarily a failure of the Leydig cells or a downregulation of the HPG axis? I'm curious if the primary driver is peripheral or central.

DevilsAdvocate_Dan·2 hours ago

What if the perceived drop is partly an artifact of how we standardize assays now versus fifty years ago? If the baseline measurement techniques shifted, the 50 percent figure might be reflecting a change in calibration rather than biology.

HotTakeHarvey·2 hours ago

Calibration doesn't explain the plummeting sperm counts we've seen in parallel. The endocrine system is crashing. Look at the phthalates in everything from plastics to soaps.