Three major causes of male infertility: environmental pollution, social life, and unhealthy lifestyle.
**Beyond One's Control: Three Major Causes of Male Infertility**
What are the causes of the 21st-century fertility crisis? I believe there are three main causes of male infertility.
**Number One Cause of Disease: Environmental Pollution**
For half a century, people have used large quantities of pesticides, insecticides, detergents, food additives, preservatives, and growth stimulants. These chemical agents may have effects on the human body similar to those of estrogen. Countless pharmaceutical manufacturers produce contraceptives and other hormonal agents, indiscriminately dumping wastewater and waste. Plants grow in soil containing estrogen, and humans and animals consume the fruits of these plants and drink water containing estrogen, leading to feminization in men. These substances can disrupt the normal functioning of the human endocrine system, resulting in serious consequences such as reproductive dysfunction. Academician Zhong Nanshan, speaking at the National People's Congress, appealed: Food safety is already a very serious problem; if appropriate solutions are not taken, many people will be unable to have children in 50 years. He also cited the example of many farmers in Guangzhou who, when cleaning the bottom of their fishponds, lay a layer of ciprofloxacin. Zhong Nanshan said that this drug, besides preventing fish diseases, can also accelerate fish growth and is also a growth stimulant; consuming this food can have a very harmful effect on human health.
Human beings have damaged the environment, endangering plants and animals, as well as human survival and reproduction. Currently, more than 20% of couples in developed countries are struggling to have children, and this phenomenon is becoming increasingly serious. A chemistry professor even predicted that by 2040, 50% of men in the United States will be infertile.
Based on my experience treating male infertility, I've found that taxi drivers, long-distance bus drivers, carpenters, construction workers, and plumbers are more prone to infertility. This is because these individuals are frequently exposed to heavy metals, volatile chemicals, vehicle exhaust, and noise, all of which negatively impact male fertility. Construction workers and plumbers are exposed to heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which can inhibit sperm enzyme activity, significantly reducing sperm motility. Drivers and carpenters are frequently exposed to chemicals such as gasoline, paint, benzene, and formaldehyde, most of which are toxic and can also decrease sperm motility, thus affecting fertility. Furthermore, these workers are almost always exposed to noise pollution. The harmful effects of noise should not be underestimated; it can trigger various bodily reactions, including increased adrenaline secretion, which can also affect sperm motility. White-collar workers and managers who spend their days glued to computers and mobile phones are also susceptible to infertility due to electromagnetic radiation pollution, which can damage sperm.
A study found that prolonged exposure to car exhaust fumes can reduce sperm quality, thus affecting male fertility. Men exposed to car exhaust for six hours daily did not experience changes in their androgen levels, but sperm motility decreased, impacting their ability to fertilize. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of nitric oxide, sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide, and lead in car exhaust fumes is also problematic, with carbon monoxide and lead being the most likely to damage sperm quality. Researchers at the University of Naples in Italy surveyed 85 men working at highway tollbooths and found that while their sperm count was similar to other young and middle-aged men in the same area, their sperm motility was relatively lower, resulting in a corresponding decline in their fertility.
The ubiquitous mobile phone can kill up to 30% of sperm in men. A 13-month study of 221 men compared sperm counts between frequent and infrequent users. The results showed that men who carried their phones on their belts or in their pockets faced the greatest risk. Frequent mobile phone users experienced a nearly 30% reduction in sperm count, and many of the remaining sperm exhibited abnormal motility, further decreasing fertility. Dr. Fejesz of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Szeged, Hungary, stated in a research report: "Continuous mobile phone use may adversely affect sperm production and male fertility, reducing sperm concentration and motility."
**Second Major Cause of Disease: Harm to Male Reproductive Health from Social Life**
When animals and humans reach their peak reproductive rate, mass mortality and degeneration occur due to endocrine regulation, inhibiting population growth. For example, in 1993, a rodent infestation occurred in Northwest my country, but shortly afterward, large numbers of dead rats appeared in the wild and residential areas, with batches of rats dying inexplicably. Autopsy studies revealed no large-scale epidemic pathogens, but these rats exhibited hypoglycemia, liver atrophy, fat deposition, adrenal hypertrophy, and lymphatic tissue degeneration. Why did this happen? Scientists analyzed that when animal populations increase, the "stress" between individuals within the population significantly increases, stimulating the central nervous system, affecting the pituitary gland and adrenal gland function, leading to mental abnormalities. Simultaneously, it reduces growth hormone secretion and increases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion, causing metabolic disorders and decreased immunity. These physiological changes all increase the mortality rate of the population. Furthermore, reduced sex hormone secretion suppresses fertility, lowering the birth rate, and increasing intrauterine embryo mortality, thus reducing the population's reproductive capacity.
Similar to the animals mentioned above, humans also exhibit the same endocrine regulation patterns. Statistics show that due to intense competition and high life pressure, the incidence of anxiety, depression, and mental illness is on the rise among modern urban dwellers. There is also an increase in men experiencing low libido, sexual dysfunction, and declining fertility. As the urban population continues to grow, a kind of crowding syndrome is threatening the health of people in metropolitan areas.
Male stress can indeed affect the endocrine system and lead to infertility. I've encountered couples where all their fertility indicators were normal, but they couldn't conceive. Out of desperation, they adopted a child. Six months after adoption, the wife suddenly became pregnant. Analysis revealed that the husband's excessive stress had caused his wife's prolonged infertility; once the stress subsided and her endocrine system returned to normal, she became pregnant.
**The third leading cause of disease: Unhealthy lifestyle**
Many unhealthy lifestyle habits in modern society threaten male fertility. For example, some men lead long-term nocturnal lives, playing cards, spending time in internet cafes and nightclubs, and staying up until 1 or 2 a.m., which prevents the body from producing sperm normally, resulting in poor sperm motility. According to the Changsha Evening News, out of 1,500 men who donated sperm at the Changsha CITIC Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, only 268 were qualified. Although the vast majority of sperm donors were young and energetic college students, very few were qualified. Even more embarrassingly, after screening, 83% of the men failed. The reasons for their poor sperm motility, low semen density, and high number of dead sperm were excessive internet use, lack of sleep, smoking, excessive drinking, and frequent sexual activity, all of which led to a decline in physical health.