Research revealed that the sperm count among men from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand has decreased substantially in the last 40 years. The researcher who conducted the recent Study said that the count had in fact halved than what it was just 40 years ago. He has also concluded that these results could indicate a sudden shift as a result of which humans may eventually become extinct.
However, not all scientists agree with the assertions put forward by the researchers. Some believe that although the study proves that Sperm Count is decreasing, it in no way quantifies the human extinction.
Nonetheless, the data revealed is worrying, when it comes to the fertility of males in these countries.
Dr. Hagai Levine's study
The elaborate research was conducted by Dr. Hagai Levine and his team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The study takes into account the data recorded by 185 previous researchers across the world. These researches were all conducted between 1973 and 2011 and thus provided data which was around 40 years old.
The results showed a 52.4 percent decline in the concentration of sperm and 59.3 percent decrease in the total sperm count in men who lived across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Contrarily, no such decline was noted in men from Asia, Africa, and South America.
However, the researchers also noted that there were far fewer studies performed on these continents.
Dr. Levine said that the decline may not be apparent in these countries as of now, but they too may feel the effect of this trend that has gripped the males of this world. He feels that if the decline continues, humans will eventually be unable to reproduce and go extinct.
According to him, one of the leading causes behind this decrease in sperm count is the toxic environment and polluted surroundings that people live in. However, other researchers have previously established that it may also be affected by excessive smoking and obesity. However, some skeptics are reluctant to believe the results and the drastic implications suggested by Levine.
Different take on the results
Some researchers suggested that the study is well established but the conclusion reached by Levine may not be true. Scientists say that early methods of sperm counting may have been erroneous and caused the overestimation of the real number. This could, in turn, be why the modern studies are showing a drastic decrease in the sperm count when compared to the present result. These factors could have created a false account of the earlier sperm count in men.
