Why Men’s Fertility Is Collapsing and What It Means for Our Future | Dr. Michael L. Eisenberg

The Dr. Hyman Show

Dr. Mark Hyman

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.5 • 9.1K Ratings

🗓️ 28 January 2026

⏱️ 83 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Around the world, we’re seeing declining sperm counts, rising infertility, more erectile dysfunction, and lower testosterone—even in younger men. These trends aren’t just affecting family planning; they’re pointing to something much bigger happening in men’s health. Joining me today on The Dr. Hyman Show is Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a Stanford researcher and leading voice in male reproductive health. We talk about why sperm quality matters far beyond fertility—and how everyday health choices quietly shape it. Watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. [YOUTUBE THUMBNAIL] We cover: • Why sperm quality may be one of the strongest early indicators of overall health and longevity • How metabolic dysfunction, belly fat, and low testosterone impact fertility and sexual function • The role environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors play in declining sperm counts • What men can do right now to protect fertility and long-term vitality When we look at fertility through the lens of whole-body health, it changes how we think about prevention, risk, and longevity. Male fertility isn’t just about reproduction. It’s a signal. Register for The Ultra Learning Series: Functional Fertility on Thursday, February 12 at 12PM ET here. View Show Notes From This Episode Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Qualia, Seed, PerfectAmino, Sunlighten, BIOptimizers and Korrus. Go to qualialife.com/hyman and use code HYMAN at checkout for an extra 15% off. Go to seed.com/hyman and use code 20HYMAN to get 20% off your first month. Go to bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 to get 20% off your first order. Visit sunlighten.com and use code HYMAN to save up to $1400. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use promo code HYMAN at checkout to save 15%.Upgrade your lighting. Enjoy 15% off at korrus.com/drhyman. (0:00) Rise in male infertility and testosterone issues (1:24) Global challenges in men's health and infertility awareness (4:56) Decline in semen quality and potential causes (9:52) Reducing exposure to endocrine disruptors and detoxification methods (14:51) Metabolic health's impact on testosterone and sperm quality as a vital sign (21:00) Sperm quality biomarkers and the impact of paternal age on offspring (26:28) Role of paternal health and epigenetics in pregnancy outcomes (31:29) Lifestyle and supplements to improve sperm quality (37:57) Stress and environmental factors affecting hormone levels and birth sex ratios (41:05) Erectile dysfunction: rates, causes, and treatment options (51:22) Testosterone replacement therapy: benefits and risks (1:00:08) Andropause and epigenetics in reproductive health (1:08:22) Rapid fire questions: lifestyle factors affecting sperm quality (1:09:45) Impact of cycling and sedentary lifestyle on reproductive health (1:12:46) Importance of sleep, stress management, and relaxation techniques (1:13:45) Information about swim club and supplements for fertility (1:14:44) Introduction to the Ultra Learning Series and functional fertility workshop (1:16:07) Disclaimer and gratitude to sponsors

Transcript

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0:00.0	Over the last half century so, I think there's been a rise in male infertility and specifically
0:05.0	semen quality has gone down.
0:06.0	Dr. Michael Eisenberg is a professor of urology and obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine and the director of men's health at Stanford.
0:14.0	He is also a board-certified urologist and leading researcher in male fertility and hormones in men's health.
0:19.0	One of the things that came up was this idea of sperm and quality and count and all that as a vital sign, as the sixth vital sign. Interestingly, you know, where their semen quality was when they were 40 predicted their death, you know, 30, 40 years later. I'm so shocked to read that the bigger guy's belly, the worse as sperm was. I mean, if you have a fat tummy, your sperm quality and function are going to be bad. Microplastics are getting more and more attention recently that's found in most testicles of men. What is happening with all these young men who have low testosterone? If you look at data age for age, the testosterone levels have gone down. More recently, it is accelerating. It's really incredible. We are seeing increasing rates of erectile dysfunction. A study that I always quote that if you look at men
0:57.7	over 40, over half have some trouble with erection. Who should we thinking about giving hormone
1:02.3	replacement therapy to admit? Because I think that selection criteria is not clear. People think
1:06.5	about like low testosterone is a big driver of erectile dysfunction, but it probably contributes
1:10.2	about 5%.
1:11.0	Don't ignore your health. And if you're a woman listening and you got a guy, go send him.
1:14.6	Get checked.
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