Sperm Counts Among Western Men Have Halved in Last 40 Years - Study - Men's Health - The Guardian

10/2/22, 4:52 AM Sperm counts among western men have halved in last 40 years – study | Men's health | The
's health | The Guardian
Men's health
This article is more than 5 years old
Sperm counts among western men have halved in last

40 years – study
Reasons for the ‘shocking’ drop are unclear, say researchers, and
represent a huge and neglected area of public health
Nicola Davis
@NicolaKSDavis
Tue 25 Jul 2017 18.00 BST
Sperm counts among men have more than halved in the last 40 years, research
suggests, although the drivers behind the decline remain unclear.
The latest findings reveal that between 1973 and 2011, the concentration of sperm in
the ejaculate of men in western countries has fallen by an average of 1.4% a year,
leading to an overall drop of just over 52%.
“The results are quite shocking,” said Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist and lead
author of the study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
While infertility treatments such as IVF can offer solutions to

potential ramifications of the decline on one level, little has been done to address
the root of the issue, said Levine, pointing out low sperm counts might also be an
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jul/25/sperm-counts-among-western-men-have-halved-in-last-40-years-study#comments 1/32
10/2/22, 4:52 AM Sperm counts among western men have halved in last 40 years – study | Men's health | The Guardian
indicator of poorer health among men more generally.
“This is a classic under the radar huge public health problem that is really
neglected,” he said.
It is not the first time researchers have highlighted concerns about sperm counts,
but previous studies have been criticised, with some saying the decline could be
down to changing laboratory methods, or studies failing to take into account
whether participants were selected on the basis of infertility problems.
But the authors of the latest study say they have addressed such concerns,
analysing only studies that used the same sperm count method, were of a
reasonable size and involved men not known to have infertility problems or disease,
among other measures.
The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction Update by an

international team of researchers, drew on 185 studies conducted between 1973 and
2011, involving almost 43,000 men. The team split the data based on whether the
men were from western countries – including Australia and New Zealand as well as
countries in North America and Europe – or from elsewhere.
After accounting for factors including age and how long men had gone without
ejaculation, the team found that sperm concentration fell from 99 million per ml in
1973 to 47.1 million per ml in 2011 – a decline of 52.4% – among western men
unaware of their fertility.
For the same group, total sperm count – the number of sperm in a semen sample –
fell by just under 60%.
In addition, a less dramatic decline in sperm concentration since the 1970s was seen
for western men who were known to have conceived with a partner, but there was
no clear trend for total sperm count in this group.
By contrast, no such trends were seen for men in other countries – although the
authors caution that far fewer studies have been carried out among such
populations.
Richard Sharpe, an expert in male reproductive health and professor at the

University of Edinburgh, welcomed the study, saying the research has tackled many
of the problems of previous analyses, adding that it “is about as close as we are
going to get” to being sure of the decline.
But he stressed it still unclear what is behind the drop, meaning that it is difficult to
address. “That is primarily because we have seriously under-invested in male
reproductive research,” he said.
Tina Kold Jensen of Syddansk University in Denmark, who was

not involved in the current research, said she was surprised by the new findings. “I
thought it would probably have stopped,” she said of the decline, pointing out that
she had been involved in a 15-year Danish study focusing on young men recruited
for military service which found no drop in sperm counts. But, she noted, that
might be because many of the men had poor sperm counts anyway.
Levine agreed that research into potential causes was needed. Numerous
possibilities have been mooted, with research suggesting links to body weight, a
lack of physical activity, smoking, and exposure of pregnant women to chemicals
found in myriad household products, known as endocrine disruptors.
But controversy remains. While Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the

University of Sheffield, said the latest study is the best he’d ever read on the decline,
he said the jury is still out on whether the trend is real.
“You need to go out to answer that question. For example you take a random sample
of every 18-year-old in the UK and you test 10,000 18-year-olds every year
prospectively over the course of 20-25 years,” he said, emphasising that Jensen’s
study using such an approach had found no decline.
“We have got very little epidemiological evidence to say what might be causing it,
so we are still scratching our heads a little bit in my view,” said Pacey.
But he agreed there is cause for concern around male reproductive function,
pointing out that rates of testicular cancer are on the rise, and stressed that men
who are concerned about their sperm count and who wish to have children should
not delay.
“If you are a guy with a low sperm count and you try for a baby when you are 21, you
are probably not going to notice you’ve got a problem,” Pacey said. “But if you are
trying with your partner when she is 35 then that’s when the heartache comes,
because by then you have got low sperm count, you’ve got an older partner and you
haven’t got a lot of time to try and fix it medically.”
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Beyond_our_Ken 26 Jul 2017 1.10 8
It could be the revenge of the Neanderthals.
Report
CommunityMod 26 Jul 2017 1.09 1
Staff
Comments on this thread are soon to close. Thanks for your contributions.
Report
Germanicus_Chinsaki 26 Jul 2017 1.07

This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also
be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
Samgyetang 26 Jul 2017 1.04 14
It is caused by too much wanking
Report
User627255 26 Jul 2017 1.03 7
Adopt a child, then. Problem solved!
Report
GRANFALL00N bonibras1 26 Jul 2017 1.08 19
You understand that this report refers to men generally, not just to one specific man?
And that therefore, your solution is idiotic?
Report
JohnDBaptist 26 Jul 2017 1.02 10
Did the study account for underwear type? Doctors recommend boxer style rather than
briefs when fertility is an issue. The family jewels need to stay cool for optimum
y yj y p
performance.
Report
Don9000 26 Jul 2017 1.02 12
Bisphenol A, a synthetic precursor compound used to make a number of plastics, remains a

prime suspect.
This 2015 Nature paper provides a bit more detail: "Bisphenol-A Affects Male Fertility via
Fertility-related Proteins in Spermatozoa"
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep09169
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LazyCamel 26 Jul 2017 1.00

IndaOrientalis 26 Jul 2017 0.58 2
"... said Levine, pointing out low sperm counts might also be an indicator of poorer health
among men more generally."
Right, so men in western countries have poorer health than men in other parts of the world.
According to the author of the study...
Report
notinamillion 26 Jul 2017 0.56 25
Lazy men = lazy jizz. It's obvious. And plastic. And other stuff. Tight pants. Furious
masturbation within monogamous relationships replacing sweet, sweet love making. The
polystyrene discs under frozen pizzas. Inexpensive cheddar. Excessive tooth brushing. The
pill. Age related jigsaw puzzle infatuation. CCTV radiation. All of it. And not a minute too
soon. But I'm no expert.
Report
theblueoysterbar notinamillion 26 Jul 2017 1.05 3
Very good Mr Renton.
Report
Germanicus_Chinsaki 26 Jul 2017 0.55 1
Makes me wonder how many small huevoed men joined football to compensate and then
afterwards chose law enforcement as a career. I believe they call it the CTE to law
enforcement pipeline.
You get beat up and dragged in on a vag charges enough times you tend to develop a dim
view of our finest. Now I suddenly I feel a new found sympathy. It's not their fault. Small
eggs and CTE has turned them mean.
Report
macktan894 26 Jul 2017 0.51 4
Weighed down by all those western values, western men felt squeezed in an oddly testicular
way. Too many western values can crowd out or shred nimble spermites who need an open
sea for swimming without obstacles or the burden of ultra- nationalism.
Report
karleker 26 Jul 2017 0.48 4
There is no point crying over spilled milk.
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KPinger 26 Jul 2017 0.46

User107993 26 Jul 2017 0.45 12
Well of course it is "a huge and neglected area of public health", it's men's health.
Report
davejordan 26 Jul 2017 0.44 5
Perhaps it's psychological. Mind over matter, the art of positive thinking, the placebo effect
etc. etc. except in reverse. The recent de-masculinisation trends, the promotion of feminine
traits and the demonization of white males in general might be the cause. Maybe it's just
collateral damage.
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DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.41 13
I stopped counting my sperm years ago.
It took too long.
Perhaps - it wouldn't take as long now?
Maybe I'll give it another shot?
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IamDolf DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.43 4
Shoot away ....
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JohnDBaptist DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.54 7
Don't bother: when you've seen one, you've seen them all.
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GutsandGlory 26 Jul 2017 0.40 5
Sperm counts among western men have halved in last 40 years – study
Maybe true for men brought up in Guardian reading households :)
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nicrowell GutsandGlory 26 Jul 2017 0.55 28
Yeah, 'cause Guardianistas are effeminate, and real men get someone who can read to
tell them what's in the Daily Mail.
Report
satsuma27 26 Jul 2017 0.40 3
Testosterone levels are also decreasing at around 1% per year for the last 50 years. The
chemicals in the water are turning the frogs gay.
Report
StevePrimus satsuma27 26 Jul 2017 1.03 8
Uh, yeah, right. Sperm levels have everything to do with being gay.
Report
satsuma27 26 Jul 2017 0.32 6
Why do wives live longer then their husbands?. Because the husband wants to die. This is
what our sperm is doing.
Report
Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.32 3
There's a lot of children being born with disabilties and this could be down to either drug
treatment or shit the parents have been taking. My money would be on the parents taking
something as the likely cause for the low sperm count...
Alot of people have taken or are taking things... Regardless of people saying they are "safe
and healthy"
There was a medicine used in the 50s and 60s that affected new born babies
Report
Jimjimny Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.58 1
You mast have been born when that medicine was around.
Report
aygeebee 26 Jul 2017 0.31 9
I remember years and years ago reading a discussion paper about the Pill affecting the
amount of hormones entering the water cycle that we drink over and over. Hormones can't
be removed through the cleansing process. And they are pumped into mass produced meat
too. If we die out it's our own stoopid fault.
Scientists spend too much time on pointless research (mobile phone #43-f and sex-robot
Sally who can dispense medicine in age-care homes whilst building an Audi) and not enough
into making our planet / societies safe for people to live comfortably.
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whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.31 16
An interesting day will come soon when we realise, en masse, that the modern world we
have created is literally killing us. Everything from pollution to poor nutrition is to blame.
Clean air and pure water are fundamental to human life, yet so few of us actually get either.
I know when I look to the sky and see giant plumes of effluence from air traffic, that
something must change.
We have taken 2 giant steps forward in the past 150 years, we may have to take one back.
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Bava46 whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.33 8
Cannot agree with you more.
But we won't will we because of greed..
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IamDolf whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.46 3
So you really think it was better 500 years ago?

With water that was too dirty to drink, no concept of hygiene, constant food
shortages, no medical knowledge to speak of and an average life expectancy of 12?
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User107993 whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.47 3
Indeed. Life was clearly better before the industrial revolution for the majority of the
population.
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Show 2 more replies
initalyperora 26 Jul 2017 0.28 2
What a cock up. And it's not just the count but the virility. Take one petrie dish, place a
sample of male semen therein, hold your mobile phone above it for ten minutes and see the
difference in sperm activity; return phone to hip pocket.
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crankyatheist 26 Jul 2017 0.28 8
Gaia fighting back? or could it be that the illuminati are actually having some success in
controlling world population?
Report
StillAbstractImp 26 Jul 2017 0.26 0
Good thing shrinking opportunity, restrictive authoritarianism, environmental degradations,

and the overall social malaise have nothing to do with it.
But don't worry -
the rise of fascism will reignite that 'rocket's red glare'!
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Jimjimny StillAbstractImp 26 Jul 2017 1.04 1
I think you've had your call phone to close to you ear.
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Dune1959 26 Jul 2017 0.26 2
After accounting for factors including age and how long men had gone without
ejaculation, the team found that sperm concentration fell from 99 million per ml in
1973 to 47.1 million per ml in 2011 – a decline of 52.4% – among western men
unaware of their fertility.
.....
By contrast, no such trends were seen for men in other countries – although the
authors caution that far fewer studies have been carried out among such populations.
The Brexiteers are not going to like this this. We are going to have to let in foreigners and
what is more, from Asia after all!
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Jimjimny Dune1959 26 Jul 2017 1.06 0
Are you saying we need Asian Sperm
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Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.21 2
It's no surprise.
People nowadays are lazy don't do any exercise and there many out there that say "I don't
want to be no gym freak and eat a rabbits diet I want to ENJOY myself and love my food and
drink". We all know many people with this belief.
PUtting fried crap down your throat or a Saturday night getting hammered and ending it
with a greasy kebab is not "enjoying" Yourself.
On the other hand there's people out there who eat very little a cup of tea, packet of crisps a
sandwich and a light dinner followed by more caffeine drinks throughout the day.
Society has become lazy just look at many youngsters who have poor social skills because
they're glued to their phones. Go to a restaurant and see groups of people ignoring each
other as they're too busy on their phones....
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PrinceVlad Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.25 9
People didn't exercise 50 years ago. And they smoke and drank like there was no
tomorrow.
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Bava46 PrinceVlad 26 Jul 2017 0.37 4
50 years ago you didn't need exercise because you mainly had labour jobs in mills and
factories.
You didn't have deliveroo delivering you that yummy kebab. Nor asda had home
delivery.
Neither did many people have cars....
People smoke more nowadays and drink more.... in addition to the above luxuries that
are available today
50 years ago people were more sociable as there were no handheld toys to yap on
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oriflamme PrinceVlad 26 Jul 2017 1.05 5
And the men died off like flies in their 50s and 60s of heart disease. People were NOT
living healthier lifestyles fifty years ago, especially in what they ate. But there is a ton
more petrochemical crap in everything--bottles, food, pesticides. And this stuff is far
more prevalent in the developed world than in, say, Pakistan or India.
Report
southernsunshine 26 Jul 2017 0.21 3
Mobile phones in pockets. I keep mine away from my eggs.
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Ali10302 26 Jul 2017 0.17 4
It's because of chemicals released from plastic bottles that apparently increase mens level of
oestrogen: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/05May/Pages/Genderbendingplasticbottles.aspx
Report
whitefr0g Ali10302 26 Jul 2017 0.23 2
Obviously it's due to a complex number of reasons and some unknown factors.
Otherwise the article would be "drop in sperm numbers linked to plastic". Anyway
nice link and a good read.
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purplefist 26 Jul 2017 0.16 3
That makes still 80 to 300 million sperm per ejaculation. We should talk how we can limit
the worlds population instead, otherwise we destroy the planet in a short time span as the
growth is not sustainable.
aygeebee 26 Jul 2017 0.15 8
Report
Handmaids Tale
Report
Zhubajie1284 26 Jul 2017 0.14 6
Is this the solution to world over-population?

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jinglechelle 26 Jul 2017 0.12 4
Handmaid's Tale
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f00l jinglechelle 26 Jul 2017 0.14 0
Now that was a book, brutha! Wot a book it woz! Wicked storeez, innit?
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trueblueozzy jinglechelle 26 Jul 2017 0.15 1
I was just about to write this :)
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rjkrawf33 jinglechelle 26 Jul 2017 0.17 4
children of men
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Jenny11225 26 Jul 2017 0.12 0
Does it really matter, if it takes just the one to fertilize an egg?
Can it be due to most people wearing tight fitting jeans that don't allow for ventilation?
Testicles that too hot is reason 1A for infertility.
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Dune1959 Jenny11225 26 Jul 2017 0.36 2
Does it really matter, if it takes just the one to fertilize an egg?
Well even without a degree in biology you ought to be able to work out it does
matter. If a low sperm count means as the article states, it's harder to conceive we
obviously need more of the little buggers fighting to get to egg than the 30m or 40m
currently up for the race.
Not all of 'em are up to the task anyway. If they were conceiving would be a pretty
simple matter and virtually guaranteed. It obviously isn't.
Davman 26 Jul 2017 0.11
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RadLadd 26 Jul 2017 0.10 2
Do you count them on your fingers?
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Don5000 26 Jul 2017 0.10 3
"39 million three hundred and forty two thousand six hundred and fifty six - 39 million three
hundred and forty two thousand six hundred and fifty seven - 39 million three hundred'
'Hey Joe here's your coffee - how's it going?
'Err what - oh bugger - one - two - three - four..'

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Davman 26 Jul 2017 0.09 0
Don't worry its all part of the World depopulation plan.

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saltskin Davman 26 Jul 2017 0.11 2
Oh that's a good one! Please tell more.

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LyntonCrosby Davman 26 Jul 2017 0.13 6
Wrap your scrotum in tin foil - that'll save your swimmers.

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PontopPike 26 Jul 2017 0.09 3
We need a count of the difference between real men in Scotland wearing a kilt in the
traditional commando style and those softer home county types with their tight underwear.
There is a doctorate in this work and maybe a fortune when the results come out and kilts
come into fashion.
Buy shares in kilt makers.
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aygeebee PontopPike 26 Jul 2017 0.20 2
Saudi men wear Thobes. Also baggy round the balls... and they can have four wives to
breed babies. I'm not advocating "drop in sperm count" justifies Saudi lifestyle. Mind
you if King Salman / Trump / Putin got their way we'd have a Handmaids Tale breeding
society in thobes.
Just saying.
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PontopPike aygeebee 26 Jul 2017 0.24 2
Back about 12 years ago I happened to visit a Bedouin hap in central Syria who was
handling 5 wives. No doubt the younger two were doing the breeding and the older
three taking care of his diet to keep him in shape for the job tat he had taken on.
Being Canadian and having just the missus and me I did admire him.
JohnUrquhart 26 Jul 2017 0.08 2
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Serious business, I know, but "...little has been done to address the root of the issue, said
Levine..." C'mon, that's a definite fnar.
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HellisEmpty 26 Jul 2017 0.07

f00l 26 Jul 2017 0.04 0
What would Trump say?
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User525895 26 Jul 2017 0.04 3
There's a real problem with not enough kids being born. Wild animals are on the verge of
taking over. Let's make this a top public health priority.
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Iokanaan 26 Jul 2017 0.00 11
I didn't read the article because I knew the comment section would be the real event here.
Report
otterz Iokanaan 26 Jul 2017 0.38

This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies
may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
Wohzamata 26 Jul 2017 0.00 1
open to refutation, however ... ""Based on literature on scrotal temperature,

spermatogenesis [or the process of sperm development] and fertility … men who regularly
wear a kilt during the years in which they wish to procreate will, as a group, have
significantly better rates of sperm quality and higher fertility," the study authors wrote."
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aygeebee Wohzamata 26 Jul 2017 0.46 0
Ditto Saudi men in thobes

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Blackpanther78 25 Jul 2017 23.56 0
Jizzy wizzy,let's get bizzy!

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ACIV 25 Jul 2017 23.51 0
My mate (same age as me) and his wife had to have lots of intervention because of his low
sperm count, but they managed to have two kids in the end. Meanwhile I just had to look at
my missus and she fell pregnant. It's all relative. It's like smoking. Sure it's bad for you, but
my mother had an old aunt who lived to be in her mid-90s and she smoked 40-a-day.
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morrisdancer 25 Jul 2017 23.50 8
I'm pretty sure mine has dropped in the past 40 years but then I am over 70.
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Zikomo 25 Jul 2017 23.47 9
Extinction. Had it cuming.
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noiseformind 25 Jul 2017 23.45 2
Reasons for the ‘shocking’ drop are unclear, say researchers, and represent a huge
and neglected area of public health
A torniquete-like wrench tearing them apart might help...? Every time a man tries to be a
man he's emasculated of all he's manliness...
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MrakS noiseformind 25 Jul 2017 23.50 9
Rubbish.
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Mr_Grim noiseformind 25 Jul 2017 23.51 7
And all "he's" spelling and punctuation ability?

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Tijger noiseformind 26 Jul 2017 0.04 9
Awww, diddums, where did the nasty feminists not touch you?
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Show 1 more reply
ohjodi 17
25 Jul 2017 23.43
Plastics.
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Mr_Grim ohjodi 25 Jul 2017 23.52 2
^This.
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f00l Mr_Grim 25 Jul 2017 23.56 1
Not this. Where is the proof?
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JohnUrquhart f00l 26 Jul 2017 0.10 2
Coming soon.
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Show 2 more replies
User582801 25 Jul 2017 23.41 3
By "Western Men" are the researchers referring only to white men of European origin? The
geographical diversity of the study is noted. However, is a man of African or Asian origin,
lets say 3rd generation, living in the West considered a Western Male?
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tedsmother User582801 25 Jul 2017 23.51 7
the guardian journalists assume we are all white, went to oxford or cambridge - live in
North London but feel like they are down with the rest of us in the hood - i.e. / they
don't know or care
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everyusernamiinuse 25 Jul 2017 23.40 5
I guess it is quite a job to count them. They must swim pretty fast plus you have to
remember the ones you have already counted.
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otterz 25 Jul 2017 23.39 6
Guardian: Why is it always articles about these kinds of things that get a comment section?
Sperm count, sex, gender roles, women's/men's rights, dicks, vaginas... You're so fucking
tiresome... But maybe it's that you always get such highly intelligent discussions on these
topics? Scintillating debates by mature, evolved intellects? That must be it.
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f00l otterz 25 Jul 2017 23.46 6

They should have a discussion on eugenics here and then you will see some real
corkers....
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User970624 otterz 25 Jul 2017 23.46 1
'You're so fucking tiresome.'
well takes one to know one, I guess.
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PontopPike otterz 26 Jul 2017 0.12 0
Cos they don't want to evaluate the abuse that the politicians would take for such
ideas as the Cross Link 2 and the abandoning of the area outside the home counties.
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Show 1 more reply
Stanthevanman 25 Jul 2017 23.39 5
Hush...I'm counting mine

1365, 1366, 1367...
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youknowyouknow 25 Jul 2017 23.36 1
The many 'boots to the stones' from the Tories one has taken over the years was bound to
have a detrimental effect.
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Earl_Grey 25 Jul 2017 23.31 8
When the problem affects Women, the Govt will put some money in to it.
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lola211 Earl_Grey 25 Jul 2017 23.43 12
Actually, for centuries we've been to blame for all of it. It was never the sacred sperm
of the mighty man at fault.
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Tijger Earl_Grey 26 Jul 2017 0.06 6
They already have, they told you to stop smoking, boozing and getting fat to no avail.
Ball(s) in your court now.
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Earl_Grey lola211 26 Jul 2017 0.33 0
It's 2017 now
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anna_zianna 25 Jul 2017 23.31 13
Great advice to have babies earlier but how are people supposed to when there are so few
decent jobs amd housing costs are as ridiculous as they are? I would desperately love to
start a family but our generation can see a lot of things standing in our way.
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f00l anna_zianna 25 Jul 2017 23.51 6
Capitalism, baby. You even have to think of children as commodities, as an expense.
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GravelInspector anna_zianna 25 Jul 2017 23.52 12
So - don't have children. Have a life instead.
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PontopPike anna_zianna 26 Jul 2017 0.13 0
Emigrate.
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MisterU 25 Jul 2017 23.30 15
Staggered about the surprise. In the early 1990s the global increase in dumping of
endocrine disruptors into the sea was cited by WHO (World Health Organization) as the
number one risk to the future of human species.
Since then not only has nothing been done but the vast global increase in gender fluidity
that was predicted has come to pass.
None of this is news and, by the way, it has nothing to do with Tories, Corbin or Brexit.
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MrakS MisterU 25 Jul 2017 23.52 0
Predicted when and by whom?
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f00l MrakS 25 Jul 2017 23.59 0
By MisterU probably.
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white_pointer MisterU 26 Jul 2017 0.10 5
Staggered about the surprise. In the early 1990s the global increase in dumping of
endocrine disruptors into the sea was cited by WHO (World Health Organization) as the
number one risk to the future of human species.
...but only affecting men in the west...?

..the africans are spitting out kids like rabbits... didn't the sea wash the 'endocrine
disruptors' down that way...??
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Show 1 more reply

User423778 25 Jul 2017 23.28
User966366 25 Jul 2017 23.27 3
That's why we need a fresh infusion of manly men...?

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breakman User966366 25 Jul 2017 23.58 3
Cometh the hour, cometh the Rees-Mogg, Septimus will be along shortly.
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aygeebee breakman 26 Jul 2017 0.49 1
Please god no
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massesareasses 25 Jul 2017 23.25 10
Let's see if we can get it down to zero. The world could be habitable for another decade
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otterz massesareasses 26 Jul 2017 0.41 5
The animals would, rightfully, rejoice.

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GuyFawkesForPM 25 Jul 2017 23.23 8
My balls hang just that little bit lower this evening.
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f00l GuyFawkesForPM 25 Jul 2017 23.59 2
That is very poignant.

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User513370 25 Jul 2017 23.22 4
Great news! Fewer teen pregnancies.
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EdHyde User513370 25 Jul 2017 23.35 0

Always look on the bright side of life, woo hoo, woo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo...
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Territorian User513370 25 Jul 2017 23.35 5
Doubtful. The Danish study found that 19 year old military males were pretty potent.
But have a look at the number of overweight and obese middle aged males compared
to 40 years ago, especially in the USA and Australia. Is it any wonder we have a
declining sperm count, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol? Never mind. Have another burger, fries and Coke.
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GravelInspector Territorian 25 Jul 2017 23.53 2
Don't forget stress too.
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Show 1 more reply
tedsmother 25 Jul 2017 23.21 3
western men (and women) have had the advantages ruling the world and running everything
and might have posed the greatest threat to whatever agenda that sits above all of us (no
matter our backgrounds) ... middle classes have been keen to offer their DNA through
ancestral discovery websites for a number of years - the largest which is owned by a health
insurance company, most likely owned by the same people with investment in water
companies (the one's who even dictate what music we listen to and films we watch) - it's not
that hard to work out that slipping a Mickey Finn in the water can take care of population to
eradicate those who might wake up and challenge this or keep the poor bastards less
valuable than the robots to breed - ... I suspect George Orwell and HG Wells are collecting
their winnings at Ladbrokes Heaven Branch
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andrewka 25 Jul 2017 23.19 11
If you look closely you'll notice a direct correlation between sperm count and being a
member of the EU. When we leave the EU our sperm is going to be awesome.
Kind of the same way you use figures of graduates in media studies to claim educated
people voted to remain in the EU.
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User364095 andrewka 25 Jul 2017 23.24 1
They did, you didn't.
Considering your statement as a whole, the evidence is overwhelming.
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1
1
25 Jul 2017 23.41
otterz andrewka
Nationalists have the best sperm.
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User970624 andrewka 25 Jul 2017 23.52 1
So the USA & Australia are in the EU are they?
You really do need to get an education.
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Show 1 more reply
AnotherSteve 25 Jul 2017 23.19 0
Climate change...
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Dregsy 25 Jul 2017 23.17 3
What are they doing to us?

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otterz Dregsy 26 Jul 2017 0.41 0
Who is they?
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SachinJain 25 Jul 2017 23.16 2
not sure who is at fault for this...
must be either Margaret Thatcher or the EU
oh sorry I am reading the Guardian not the DM it cant be the EU it must be those vile Tory
governments we have had since 1979...
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otterz SachinJain 25 Jul 2017 23.42 1
Obama!
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jomowo 25 Jul 2017 23.16 9
Good - too many people in the world, anyway!
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otterz jomowo 25 Jul 2017 23.43 1
Especially in rich, western countries.
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smndvdcl 25 Jul 2017 23.14 5
The dystopian concepts of '1984', 'Brave New World' and now 'The Handmaid's Tale' have
too many blurred boundaries with reality. These are not meant to be instruction manuals.
O_o
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GravelInspector smndvdcl 25 Jul 2017 23.55 3
Actually, the Handmaid's Tale was meant to be an instruction manual about how to
overthrow a liberal society into religious totalitarianism, to serve as a warning against
trends that Atwood saw in the 1980s.
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smndvdcl GravelInspector 26 Jul 2017 0.22 0
Orwell, Atwood and Huxley created these dystopian concepts as a cautionary tale
against such totalitarian governments. You have misread my macro analysis of each
novel's intentions as a micro analysis of the intrinsic world of the story itself and the
characters' worlds within.
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Tongariro1 25 Jul 2017 23.14 3
This study is a meta-analysis, drawing on other studies. To the extent that the studies
encompassed in it had methodological problems, so will this one.
In addition, it is not clear to me what western means. Does it reflect all ethnicities found in
the countries covered? Are there differences between men whose ancestors have lived in
these 'western' countries for generations and more recent migrants? What is the presumed
division of factors between lifestyle and other factors?
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Narapoia01 Tongariro1 25 Jul 2017 23.19 0
Did you not read the article?
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wackadak 25 Jul 2017 23.12 2
Goodbye humans your shrivelled balls will be your undoing
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AndrewLavengro wackadak 25 Jul 2017 23.25 1
Have you finished in the bathroom deary?
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witness67 25 Jul 2017 23.12 7
The chemical soup in which we live is to blame. Many chemicals we are exposed to on a daily
basis have subtle and synergistic effects. Taken over a whole population these effects are
quite significant. A warming world won't help sperm counts either.
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User364095 witness67 25 Jul 2017 23.14 1
No they don't.
We were exposed to asbestos, radium, and all sorts of horrible shit in the past. Now
we aren't, yet the sperm count is now falling.
It's a natural reaction to increased lifespan, the wheel of life.

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Dregsy witness67 25 Jul 2017 23.18 0
Prove it, Witness.

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NapoleonXIV Dregsy 25 Jul 2017 23.44 3
Not taking anyone's side here but here's a link to an interesting article from the
Central European Journal of Urology from 2014. The study referenced concluded that
mobile phones held in one's trouser pocket have a detrimental effect on sperm
production and that prolonged exposure to mobile phone radiation may bring about
sperm DNA fragmentation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4074720/
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Show 2 more replies

oystersandwich 25 Jul 2017 23.10 2
Margaret Attwood appears to have got it wrong.

If her Handmaid's dystopia comes to pass it will be likely that the remaining viable male
progenitors will be the ones jumped at "The Ceremony". However any cradling of the sperm
donor by the non-viable "commander" could present a new complication to the scheme.
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FishDog oystersandwich 25 Jul 2017 23.15 1
A Boy and His Dog.

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Llanina1 25 Jul 2017 23.08 15
After wiping out 50% of all other animals I frankly think every other species will be
screaming "bring it on."
The very last thing we need is more humans. We are already overtaking rats in our
population levels in some areas.
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HusarteSolvin Llanina1 25 Jul 2017 23.11 1
Westerners should be the first on tgeur theur way out.

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User364095 HusarteSolvin 25 Jul 2017 23.16 4
English translation please?
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Saltcreep Llanina1 25 Jul 2017 23.35 2
Rats have nothing on us. We humans and our domesticated animals apparently make
up more than 98% of land based animal biomass...
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Show 1 more reply 0

Thespionic 25 Jul 2017 23.08
Corbs blamed the Tories for stagnating life expectancy, so this'll be Theresa May's fault as
well!
Thank God he hasn't got on to the hedgehog debate yet.
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Tijger Thespionic 26 Jul 2017 0.09 0
Well...dont know about you but looking at May does NOT boost my sperm count in
the slightest!
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Purusha 25 Jul 2017 23.06 2
I blame it on tight underpants.
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f00l Purusha 25 Jul 2017 23.10 3
People take drugs, drink, get fat. These things are known to cause infertility and they
are always on the rise.
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User364095 f00l 25 Jul 2017 23.16 1
In the Edwardian era everyone was on every drug imaginable.
They were pumping kids out like nobodies business.
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f00l User364095 25 Jul 2017 23.19 0
But maybe that had an effect on the quality of sperm over generations.
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Show 9 more replies
tylercohle 25 Jul 2017 23.06 0
Can someone help me out, is low sperm count related to testosterone, erectile dysfunction,
porn addiction problems.I am 27 year bloke, i do not watch porn so i get a hard on just by
thinking, i work out regularly, 15-20% body fat, i have been genetically blessed with a
leanish body so i eat all kinds of food (coz i am a foodie) and still am in a decent shape. So all
the signs are that the my testosterone levels are ok. I want to be a father in the future
maybe in my late 30's. So can some one who looks healthy have a low sperm count?
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witness67 tylercohle 25 Jul 2017 23.09 11
My advice is - don't become a father. The world is getting more fucked up by the day
and parenthood will make you poor for the next 20 years and very significantly impact
your quality of life. The way the world is going it is verging on totally irresponsible to
bring another human into the world.
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f00l tylercohle 25 Jul 2017 23.11 1
Yes. It has nothing to do with how you look. You can have your sperm tested by your
GP if you are concerned. I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like you are not doing
anything that will increase your risk of being infertile.
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Slick7 tylercohle 25 Jul 2017 23.17 2
This is estrogen thoughts, won't do you any good.
You'll produce many beautiful babies, tremendous beautiful babies.

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Show 3 more replies
A_Balrog_has_come 25 Jul 2017 23.05 2
Bring back stockings and suspenders and short skirts! There is a relationship between the
dour womens fashions of today and those of the free love era!
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f00l A_Balrog_has_come 25 Jul 2017 23.13 5
That will increase male libido but not necessarily sperm counts. Also, who is going to
wear these clothes and consciously objectify themselves? Drag Queens? Possibly.
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GravelInspector A_Balrog_has_come 25 Jul 2017 23.59 3
Bring back codpieces and draughty hose! Why make women wear cloths you consider
"sexy" to make up for your deficiencies?
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Thespionic 25 Jul 2017 23.05
neilfitzgerald 25 Jul 2017 23.05 3
So, it won't be some plague-induced Handmaid's Tale; it will the be the scarce potent
Handyman's Tale then.
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GuyFawkesForPM 25 Jul 2017 23.03 3
I've noticed this: it used to fly out when I was younger, now it just drips off the end.
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f00l GuyFawkesForPM 25 Jul 2017 23.14 0
What an ignominious end.....
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GuyFawkesForPM f00l 25 Jul 2017 23.20 2
It looks perfectly normal to me.
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tedsmother GuyFawkesForPM 25 Jul 2017 23.36 0
puff flash puff flash drip - like a mini pink floyd concert spoiled by rain ?
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Show 3 more replies
WombatsRamble 25 Jul 2017 23.01 5
I blame FM radio
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savannahchimp 25 Jul 2017 23.00 4
Lots of people saying lower sperm counts are caused by western men being emasculated by
feminists. Question for you lot: do you associate Chinese and Indian men with hyper-
masculinity? Or is it just possible that men can have functioning testes without being
bearded lumberjacks?
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LooseOne savannahchimp 25 Jul 2017 23.09 6
The comments are most likely petulant blowback at the frequent anti-male tirades
from this paper's stable of feminist writers. I wouldn't read anything else into it.
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f00l savannahchimp 25 Jul 2017 23.16 0
Why wouldn't people associate Chinese and Indian men with masculinity. They have
all the biologically male parts. What are you talking about?
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FishDog savannahchimp 25 Jul 2017 23.17 0
I know some pretty manly Indian dudes. Why to white Brits think they are girly?
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Show 7 more
joedynamic replies
25 Jul 2017 23.00 4
By contrast, no such trends were seen for men in other countries
Whats wrong in western countries then?
Anyway, this is not a bad thing.
Why bring more babies to this already ruined world? No need to do that.
Low sperm count? That's a good thing, less unwanted pregnancies, less stress put into
natural resources.
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User728272 joedynamic 25 Jul 2017 23.06

otterz joedynamic 26 Jul 2017 0.06 1
More natural food?

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FrenklySpeaking 25 Jul 2017 22.58 12
I reckon there western lifestyle has much to do with this - too much meat, alcohol, too many
pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, toxic pollution .... and of course there are many
who've been exposed to the music of John Farnham and Celine Dion.
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8
8
25 Jul 2017 23.02
ParisHiltonCommune FrenklySpeaking
"I reckon there western lifestyle has much to do with this - too much meat, "
Err... but meat consumption has plummeted in the past 30 years. The only one that
has increased is chicken, we eat less meat than ever recorded.
Speaking as an ex-vegetarian who returned to meat due to health problems, I think

that good quality meat has been demonised.
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ParisHiltonCommune FrenklySpeaking 25 Jul 2017 23.03 6
...I agree on the Celine Dion though.

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FrenklySpeaking ParisHiltonCommune 25 Jul 2017 23.17 6
But the hormones, antibiotics and other nasty additives in meat have surged in this
time.
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Show 2 more replies
zuftawov943 25 Jul 2017 22.58 1
Good news. There's far too much human breeding.
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ReginaldSide zuftawov943 25 Jul 2017 23.08 0
It's selection that's the issue. Is it natural or is it unnatural?
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LooseOne zuftawov943 25 Jul 2017 23.09 4
Not in the west there isn't.
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irishmarcopolo 25 Jul 2017 22.58 1
Keeping your cell phone in your pocket is the problem. This is backed up by existing
research. Pulsating microwave radiation and testicles don't mix.
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Tarantella 25 Jul 2017 22.57 0
The world's population has DOUBLED in half a century. Not good for couples who want a
child, or two, but I can't help hoping this is also a good thing.
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ParisHiltonCommune Tarantella 25 Jul 2017 23.08 2
"The world's population has DOUBLED in half a century. "
It's not the number of human beings, but the environmental impact of each one. The
earth could have 20 billion living as australian aborigines and it would have little
impact. They return what they take out. Yet a few hundred million Americans and
Europeans are managing to wipe everything else out with our unsustainable wasteful
destructive lifestyles.
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witness67 Tarantella 25 Jul 2017 23.14 1
No point having children any more >95% of us can't afford it without seeing dramatic
reduction in quality of life. There's already way too many in the world anyway. It's
totally unsustainable.
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Gunny1 ParisHiltonCommune 25 Jul 2017 23.24 3
The world couldn't support 5 billion hunter gatherers. The only reason we have 6 now
is broad scale agriculture.
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Show 1 more reply
neddog 25 Jul 2017 22.55 0
Woody Allen predicted this in his 1973 film Sleeper. He said that all me would be impotent
except those of Italian heritage.
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User268547 25 Jul 2017 22.55

DarlingBudofMay 25 Jul 2017 22.54 6
I counted all my sperm; they are fine
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karleker DarlingBudofMay 26 Jul 2017 0.37

Parhelian 25 Jul 2017 22.54 2
Plastics everywhere http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/01/22/bpa-toxic-sperm-counts-

infertility/
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1iJack 25 Jul 2017 22.50 6
Let me help you out. This will be hard for the Guardian to moderate, as its based on facts
from the Pew Research Center...
In the United States its called the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.
It can be reversed overnight, and would stop 88% of all U.S. population growth between
now and 2060. Our demographics would "lock in" to natural birth rates only.
I always thought America's changing demographics was just the difference in natural birth
rates...its not.
It's being legislated.
Immigrants and their descendants are projected to account for 88% of the population
increase over the next 50 years.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/28/key-takeaways-on-u-s-immigration-
past-present-and-future/
Is the U.K. doing the same thing?
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User364095 1iJack 25 Jul 2017 22.54 3
The problem, as they see it, is that it happens to all races, not just whitey.
So your thoughtless idea falls at the first hurdle.
It's the West, not just the white folks.
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anthonyadiga User364095 25 Jul 2017 22.56

f00l 1iJack 25 Jul 2017 22.56 6
America is a nation of immigrants, so what's your point?

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Show 8 more replies
gasper 25 Jul 2017 22.48 0
The Tories will use this to open up a market for sperm ,a veritable tadpole rialto, where the
individual will be able to pull himself up the ladder . Jeremy will oppose this of course and
insist on nationalisation through social pooling and insist we all pull together.
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f00l gasper 25 Jul 2017 22.58 0
They should sell sperm in an open market and then it would be OK. People could buy
them fresh and then take them to companies that freeze them. More jobs and more
money for the economy and something for a lot of wankers to do.
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Mauryan 25 Jul 2017 22.47 0
Too many intellectuals and analysts! The problem is right there.
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f00l Mauryan 25 Jul 2017 22.49 4
Yeah, let's aspire to be dumb.
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Angelaaaa 25 Jul 2017 22.47 6
We really only need to worry if humanity starts becoming an endangered species. That
doesn't seem to be happening.
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ParisHiltonCommune Angelaaaa 25 Jul 2017 23.04 2
Exactly. Nature always finds a balance. Something always survives. Just that in this
case, it's the Westerners who are too heavy a burden for the planet, so nature is
dealing with it.
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Rtb1159 25 Jul 2017 22.46 7
Maybe the fact that women taking the pill have been urinating artificial estrogen into the
water supply for 50 years might have something to do with it? Men are becoming a lot more
feminine these days!
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flugeldan Rtb1159 25 Jul 2017 23.03 0
I recall reading this a number of years ago and hoped this article would address
whether there was any weight to this argument.
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f00l Rtb1159 25 Jul 2017 23.05 3
Feminine and masculine are social constructs for the most part. In what way are men
becoming feminine? Are they developing female reproductive organs? Utter
nonsense. It is well known that western men drink a lot and alcohol decreases
fertility. Obesity is also rising and that also causes infertility. You should stick to
things that have some basis in science rather than state things that make no sense.
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FishDog f00l 25 Jul 2017 23.21 1
Do you know any men and women?

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Show 2 more replies
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10/2/22, 4:52 AM Sperm counts among western men have halved in last 40 years – study | Men's health | The

's health | The Guardian

This article is more than 5 years old

Sperm counts among western men have halved in last

While infertility treatments such as IVF can offer solutions to

indicator of poorer health among men more generally.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction Update by an

no clear trend for total sperm count in this group.

Richard Sharpe, an expert in male reproductive health and professor at the

reproductive research,” he said.

Tina Kold Jensen of Syddansk University in Denmark, who was

But controversy remains. While Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the

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1 2 3 4 … 6 Displaying threads 1 to 100 of 572

Beyond_our_Ken 26 Jul 2017 1.10 8

It could be the revenge of the Neanderthals.

CommunityMod 26 Jul 2017 1.09 1

Germanicus_Chinsaki 26 Jul 2017 1.07

Samgyetang 26 Jul 2017 1.04 14

It is caused by too much wanking

User627255 26 Jul 2017 1.03 7

Adopt a child, then. Problem solved!

GRANFALL00N bonibras1 26 Jul 2017 1.08 19

JohnDBaptist 26 Jul 2017 1.02 10

Don9000 26 Jul 2017 1.02 12

Bisphenol A, a synthetic precursor compound used to make a number of plastics, remains a

LazyCamel 26 Jul 2017 1.00

IndaOrientalis 26 Jul 2017 0.58 2

notinamillion 26 Jul 2017 0.56 25

theblueoysterbar notinamillion 26 Jul 2017 1.05 3

Very good Mr Renton.

Germanicus_Chinsaki 26 Jul 2017 0.55 1

macktan894 26 Jul 2017 0.51 4

karleker 26 Jul 2017 0.48 4

There is no point crying over spilled milk.

KPinger 26 Jul 2017 0.46

User107993 26 Jul 2017 0.45 12

davejordan 26 Jul 2017 0.44 5

DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.41 13

I stopped counting my sperm years ago.

It took too long.

Perhaps - it wouldn't take as long now?

Maybe I'll give it another shot?

IamDolf DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.43 4

Shoot away ....

JohnDBaptist DekeThornton 26 Jul 2017 0.54 7

GutsandGlory 26 Jul 2017 0.40 5

Maybe true for men brought up in Guardian reading households :)

nicrowell GutsandGlory 26 Jul 2017 0.55 28

StevePrimus satsuma27 26 Jul 2017 1.03 8

satsuma27 26 Jul 2017 0.32 6

Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.32 3

Jimjimny Bava46 26 Jul 2017 0.58 1

aygeebee 26 Jul 2017 0.31 9

whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.31 16

Bava46 whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.33 8

Cannot agree with you more.

But we won't will we because of greed..

IamDolf whitestmanalive 26 Jul 2017 0.46 3