Mumbai, 31st October, 2025: Doctors across India are raising concerns over a sharp rise in male infertility, driven by unhealthy lifestyles, poor dietary habits, environmental exposures, and rising metabolic disorders. The average global sperm count has seen a steep decline from about 113 million/ml in 1940 to 66 million/ml in 1990 — with studies showing a further 2.64% drop per year since 2000. Today, male factors account for nearly 40% of all infertility cases, reflecting a 25% overall increase.
Key Causes Behind the Decline
According to Dr. Ankush Raut, Infertility Specialist at Apollo Fertility, Borivali, several interlinked factors are driving this worrying trend:
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Lifestyle stress: Long working hours, poor sleep, and chronic stress affect hormonal balance.
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Unhealthy diets: Processed foods, excess sugar, and trans fats reduce sperm health, while antioxidant-rich foods are lacking.
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Environmental exposure: Heat from laptops and mobile phones, along with air pollution and chemical exposure, harms sperm quality.
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Addictions: Smoking, alcohol, and drug use have proven negative effects on sperm count and motility.
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Medical issues: Conditions like varicocele, infections, and hormonal disorders are increasingly seen in younger men.
Echoing this, Dr. Soumya Shetty, Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Chembur, highlighted the growing role of obesity and diabetes.
“Lifestyle and metabolic health problems now have a much stronger impact on fertility, especially in younger men. Obesity raises estradiol levels and oxidative stress, reducing sperm concentration and motility, while diabetes damages blood vessels and nerves, impairing sperm and sexual function,” she said.
Doctor-Recommended Lifestyle & Diet Measures
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Maintain a healthy weight through balanced diet and regular exercise.
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Eat antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and omega-3 sources.
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Avoid smoking, alcohol, and drug use.
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Manage stress through yoga, meditation, and relaxation.
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Avoid heat exposure near the groin (tight clothing, hot baths, or laptops on lap).
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Ensure adequate sleep (7–8 hours daily).
Available Treatments
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Detailed evaluation: Hormonal profiling, genetic testing, and scrotal Doppler for diagnosis.
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Medical management: Supplements like L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, myo-inositol, vitamins C & E, zinc, and selenium.
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Lifestyle counselling: With dieticians and andrologists.
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Surgical correction: For treatable causes like varicocele.
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Assisted reproduction: IUI, IVF, or ICSI based on severity.
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Advanced sperm selection: Techniques like Microfluidics, Zymot separation, and IMSI to improve IVF/ICSI outcomes.
Doctors emphasize that early diagnosis, lifestyle corrections, and timely medical intervention can significantly improve male fertility outcomes — turning awareness into action is now critical for India’s reproductive health landscape.