Men's health

Men’s Average Testosterone Levels Have Halved in 50 years

Is this a chemically-driven public health emergency or a lifestyle problem blown out of proportion?

Published 2 hours ago

Men’s Average Testosterone Levels Have Halved in 50 years

Story

Above: Testosterone packaging lies on a table in Hamburg on April 17, 2025. Image credit: Marcus Brandt/picture alliance/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

This is a full-blown public health emergency that isn't getting nearly enough attention. Obesity, diabetes and endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in everyday household products are driving this collapse in male reproductive health. Sperm counts have also cratered over the same period, with the science too consistent across too many countries to dismiss.

Dave Lawrence on X Guardian

Narrative B

The alarm over falling testosterone and sperm counts deserves serious scrutiny before prompting panic. A study of Danish sperm donor applicants found no significant change in sperm concentration between 2017 and 2022, directly challenging the sweeping meta-analyses driving these headlines. Additionally, obesity and diabetes alone could account for the entire testosterone decline, meaning changeable lifestyle factors — not some mysterious environmental crisis — are the real culprit.

University of Manchester The Asia Business Daily