Sperm count is declining around the world
Sperm count is declining around the world
There is a strong link between a man's reproductive health and his overall health
Greetings!
A few days ago - Saturday, November 19, was International Men’s Day, and apart from a few brands that scrambled to put some displays out, everywhere was quiet. Not 100% unusual. For those men that didn’t get the memo or support, here’s one from us at the Africa Tech Memo - we wish you more strength to pull down more goliaths and prosper, especially in health.
Borrowing from the great book - we “wish above all else, that you prosper, even as your soul prospers”.
Since we’re talking about health, it’s a good time to take care of your health. It is your responsibility. Especially, as you get passed 40 years. An updated review of medical literature says; “Over the past 50 years, human sperm counts appear to have fallen by more than 50% around the globe, according to an updated review of medical literature”. It was published in the journal Human Reproduction Update.
Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a urologist with Stanford Medicine inclined that; "There is a strong link between a man's reproductive health and his overall health. So it could also speak to that too, that maybe we're not as healthy as we once were”.
The report is an update to its review published in 2017 but this time, and for the first time, includes new data from Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.
What are the causes of the decline? Nobody is sure why the decline but Dr. Hagai Levine - an epidemiologist and public health researcher at the Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine had some thoughts:
It may begin in the womb. The stress of the mother, maternal smoking, and especially exposure to manmade chemicals that are in plastic, such as phthalates, disrupt the development of the male reproductive system.
Obesity, a lack of physical activity, and diets high in ultra-processed food may all be culprits.
The same factors that harm health in general usually are also harmful to semen quality
What you can do. Make it normal and regular to have yourself check-up at the medicals. Develop good health habits - exercise regularly, eat right, sleep well, stay away from self-medicating and be self-aware of your body. And African men, no “Kolac Alagbo” to boost performance or sperm count. Go see a doctor first.
Accessing quality health care could be expensive, you should get health insurance. It is more cost-effective for you, especially if you have a family. You can start with as little as N1,700 monthly.
What else…
Theranos founder - Elizabeth Holmes, was found guilty and jailed for defrauding investors. She is pregnant. She got 11+ years. Reuters
Lagos airport restores runway lights after 14 years. If you’re not Nigerian, you’ll be wondering how. Yeah, me too. Here’s it.
Employees are resigning from Future Africa, one of the top early-stage tech startup Africa funds. Future Africa, founded by Iyi Aboyeji, has returned over $3 million to investors and is now changing its mode of operations, to becoming a venture studio. Tech Cabal
Ghana was the world’s top importer of used clothing in 2020. The country imported second-hand clothes worth $182 million. We already know how Africa is becoming more of a dumping ground for countries that are producers. We consume so they sell us more of what to consume, including rubbish. We should not forget the role of poverty in all of these. OEC
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Africa Tech Memo is our ‘Briefing Newsletter”, published once a week, usually on Tuesdays, to help you get smarter about the most important things in African tech and media.
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