Men Turn to Unproven Fertility Stacks as 106 Countries Fall Below Birth-Rate Replacement
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 11
Men Turn to Unproven Fertility Stacks as 106 Countries Fall Below Birth-Rate Replacement
1 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 11
Summary
Men worried about sperm decline are increasingly icing their testicles, following sauna routines and taking online-promoted “fertility stacks,” even when they have no diagnosed fertility problem.
Social media is driving much of that anxiety: hashtags on male fertility draw hundreds of millions of views, while influencers such as Bryan Johnson and other coaches sell supplements, courses and protocols with little medical evidence.
Doctors say some concerns are legitimate—steroids, testosterone replacement therapy, smoking, obesity and heat can hurt sperm—but many influencer claims are exaggerated, and evidence on the scale and causes of sperm decline remains mixed.
HCG and HMG stacks marketed to men trying to recover fertility after testosterone use can be dangerous without supervision, specialists warn, citing risks including blood clots and breast growth.
The trend is unfolding amid broader alarm over falling birth rates—down globally from 4.9 births per woman in 1950 to 2.2 in 2025—but experts say social-media fixes may distract from proven lifestyle changes and proper medical care.