Sperm counts down

That sounds right.

I think you may be referring to phthalates Elegran.

I think it was female hormones ogm that you are thinking about.
"The pill" leads to the excretion of female hormones. In somewhere like London where the water has been extracted, used, treated and re-extracted several times then there are measurable amounts on the drinking water.

I think something in some plastics could be to blame too.

I seem to remember something about nitrates in water courses (increased use of chemical fertilizers, run off etc etc) causing a problem in fish. (Again I think it was found that some male fish were changing sex.)
C'mon Jess have I remembered correctly.

Elegran

P.s. Oysters are a good source of zinc, essential for male fertility.

Yes Jings is making a valid point. The testes need to be coolish to make viable sperm. That is one reason why the kilt is traditionally worn with nothing underneath. (The other reason is to intrigue Sassenach tourists)

Besides, it isn't my thread. Once I've pressed the "post message" button, it belongs to everyone on gransnet

I know, jings, and, as you know, I value you input highly .

Bags! I'm not trivialising your thread! It is actually a valid point.

(more air gets in there then. especially when bits fall out the side)

Put 'em all back in saggy white y-fronts.

But this research isn't talking about commonly accepted infertility levels; just lower levels than they used to be. Nor is it suggesting that levels will continue to fall.

They should all eat more oysters – that will solve the problem.

Yes, I have five grandsons, one of whom already has two children , one who never wants children, and three who look forward to having them some day.
I am interested in anything that might affect the health and happiness of any of my family. From a purely scientific point of view, surely we must be curious about something so radical?
And, as I mentioned, whatever is affecting sperm could be affecting other things.

In France anyway.
And they do still have a gadzillion going to waste every day.
But maybe their lab methods could have changed over time?
Do us grans give a t***?

For too long many people have assumed that if a couple who want a child fail to procreate, the woman must be blameworthy. I believe the actual statistics are closer to 50:50. Men do seem to take it as a personal insult to their manhood to be told they have a low sperm count.
I believe the reproductive rate in the UK is now 1.7 children per couple, which is below the rate needed to sustain the current population levels, but whether that is due to lifestyle choice, economics, or health reasons we have no way of knowing. Net immigration has also fallen, as the UK is no longer seen as Eldorado. Perhaps the spectre of over-population is about to be vanquished.
I do wonder if whatever is affecting sperm count could be having some effect on other bodily systems, so some urgent research is needed.