Men are worried about their fertility. Enter the regrettably named trend of spermmaxxing Men are increasingly anxious about their fertility due to a documented sharp decline in sperm counts over recent decades, a trend experts attribute to lifestyle and environmental factors. While online advice, often termed ‘spermmaxxing’, is rampant, much of it is misinformation, with experts emphasizing scientifically-backed methods for improving sperm quality and quantity. Key to improving reproductive health involves understanding actual signs of problems, debunking common myths like semen retention or testosterone therapy for fertility, and adopting healthy lifestyle choices such as avoiding excessive heat, prioritizing sleep, eating well, and exercising.

• Men’s sperm counts have significantly declined, with concentration dropping 51.6% and total count by 62.3% between 1973 and 2018.
• Factors contributing to declining fertility include obesity, poor sleep, smoking, stress, steroid use, and environmental pollution.
• Online advice, often termed ‘spermmaxxing’, is frequently inaccurate, with many claims being misleading or designed to sell products.
• The gold standard for diagnosing fertility issues is semen analysis, but sexual function, including the ability to achieve erections, can be an everyday indicator.
• Common misconceptions include the idea that semen retention improves fertility and that taking testosterone enhances it; in fact, testosterone therapy can harm sperm production.
• Improving sperm quantity and quality involves lifestyle changes such as avoiding excessive heat (hot tubs, saunas), prioritizing good sleep, eating a healthy diet (like the Mediterranean diet), and engaging in resistance training to boost testosterone.