Men’s “biological clock” refers to the natural, age-related changes in fertility and reproduction that occur in men. It is well known that women have a clear reproductive timeline marked by menopause, but for men that’s not necessarily the case. We also know that women over the age of 35, or “advanced maternal age”, have decreased egg quality and quantity. However, sperm production continues throughout life regardless of male age! That is true. You can see a 65-year-old man rolling down the hall in a wheelchair. He’s still probably making fresh new sperm every day.
In fact, a comprehensive study published in Fertility & Sterility, evaluated the impact of male age on semen quality and found that was no change in sperm concentration/density in older men compared to younger men.
What did change? Semen volume, sperm motility, and sperm morphology. Older men had about 3-20% decrease in their ejaculate volume, 3-40% decrease in sperm motility, and 4-20% decrease in sperm shape. There are many potential treatment to optimize sperm quality such as avoiding excessive heat to the scrotum (i.e. hot tub, sauna), as well as life-style factors such as improving diet and exercise. Fertility supplements such as Fertile Force also play a key role to help optimize sperm quality including motility and morphology.
Also, older men are found to have higher levels of sperm DNA damage, or DNA fragmentation. Why is this important? High levels of DNA damage is associated with less fertilizing potential, increased risk of miscarriage, and recurrent IVF failure. One of the key treatments for elevated levels of DNA damage includes antioxidants as well as more invasive treatments such as surgical sperm retrieval and varicocele correction. Maintaining a healthy dose of evidence-based antioxidants as seen in Fertility Force is key to optimize sperm health.
References:
- Ford, W. C., North, K., Taylor, H., Farrow, A., Hull, M. G., & Golding, J. (2000). Increasing paternal age is associated with delayed conception in a large population of fertile couples: evidence for declining fecundity in older men. The ALSPAC Study Team (Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood). Human reproduction (Oxford, England), 15(8), 1703–1708. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/15.8.1703
- Kidd, S. A., Eskenazi, B., & Wyrobek, A. J. (2001). Effects of male age on semen quality and fertility: a review of the literature. Fertility and sterility, 75(2), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0015-0282(00)01679-4
- Harman, S. M., Metter, E. J., Tobin, J. D., Pearson, J., Blackman, M. R., & Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (2001). Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 86(2), 724–731.
