A Little Older, A Little Wiser

Compared to our ancestors, many couples are delaying parenthood for a variety of reasons. Modern life is complicated! It takes longer than ever to finish school, find a partner, build two careers, and save to buy a home.

In the USA, birth rates for men older than 35 have increased 40% in a single generation. [1]

By the time we're ready to have a baby, often our best fertility years have passed.

It's commonly known that female fertility decreases gradually but significantly beginning approximately at age 32 years and decreases more rapidly after age 37 years. [2]

But male fertility suffers a similar age-related decline. Evidence consistently indicates that sperm motility and  morphology decline with advancing age [3], [4], [5].

DNA damage also accumulates with age. Mutations from sperm chromosomal replication accumulate at an estimated rate of 4% per year, meaning a 40 year old father may have double the sperm mutations of a 24 year old father [6].

Fortunately, us mature men still have options to optimize our sperm:

• Eat the best quality whole foods you can afford. Don't skip the vegetables.
• Sleep like a lion to boost testosterone, which is critical for sperm formation.
• Find an exercise schedule you can stick with. A class-scheduled High-Intensity-Interval-Training regimen is the answer for many busy professionals. Crossfit etc.
• Use The Underdog whenever sitting to stop heat-related DNA damage.
• Reduce vices: halve your alcoholic drinks, avoid binge drinking, and wean off smoking with nicotine gum.
• Consider using a sperm bank now to lock-in your sperm. Legacy and Dadi are two new lower-cost options. 

With a little discipline and The Underdog at your side, sperm quality can remain strong as we grow a little older and a little wiser.