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Snapshot 6:Wed, Jul 8, 2026 2:57:57 PM GMT last edited by ArthursSeat22

Men’s Average Testosterone Levels Have Halved in 50 years

Men's Average Testosterone Levels DropHave 54%Halved Sincein 197250 years

Is this a chemically-driven public health emergency or a lifestyle problem blown out of proportion?
Men’s Average Testosterone Levels Have Halved in 50 years
Above: Testosterone packaging lies on a table in Hamburg on April 17, 2025. Image credit: Marcus Brandt/picture alliance/Getty Images

The Spin


MaleThis testosteroneis levels dropped 54% between 1972 and 2019, and that's 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, andwith the science is too consistent across too many countries to dismiss.

The alarm over falling testosterone and sperm counts deserves serious scrutiny before societyprompting panicspanic. 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. ObesityAdditionally, obesity and diabetes alone could account for the entire testosterone decline, meaning changeable lifestyle factors — not some mysterious environmental crisis — are the real culprit.


Metaculus Prediction

There's a 1% chance that global fertility will drop to 0.25 births per woman before 2046, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.4.1

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 7.4.1