When Do Men Stop Producing Sperm?

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Mick Jagger—besides a few killer dance moves—it’s that a man’s age doesn’t necessarily dictate his reproductive potential.

While there’s no set age when men stop producing sperm, certain medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and environmental stressors can negatively affect sperm count and quality as you get older, increasing the risk of male infertility.

In this article, we’ll discuss those factors along with what you can do to improve sperm count and treatments that can help.

Thanks to a subset of spermatogonial stem cells that can continuously self-renew, there’s no male equivalent to the so-called “biological clock” commonly used to describe the relationship between a woman's age and her fertility. Unlike men, who continue producing new sperm throughout their lives, women are born with a finite number of eggs, and no new ones are made after birth. Men are able to produce sperm their whole lives and most continue to ejaculate (even if they’ve had a vasectomy).

However, a number of age-related changes in the male reproductive system can cause male fertility to decline over time. Studies show that men older than 50 have lower pregnancy rates, increased time to pregnancy, and lower fertility compared to younger men.

A decline in sexual activity may be partly to blame for a decline in male fertility with age. But there might be more to it. Research shows that, for aging men, changes in sperm could explain lower fertility. While sperm concentration for men under 30 and those over 50 often stays the same, other key measures of fertility, such as semen volume, sperm motility (how sperm move), and sperm morphology (how sperm are shaped) tend to change as men get older. 

Low Sperm Count

Men with oligospermia (low sperm count) and azoospermia (lack of sperm in semen) represent 40 to 50 percent of all male infertility cases.

Research shows that sperm count seems to decline with advanced age.

In one study of 2,681 men, those ages 41 to 50 were nearly three times more likely to have decreased sperm counts than participants ages 21 to 30. And men above the age of 50 were six times more likely to present decreased sperm counts than the 21 to 30 group.

Abnormal Sperm Morphology and Motility

Studies have found that along with total sperm count, sperm morphology and progressive sperm motility decrease from a man’s 20s to his 40s.

When a sperm is abnormally shaped or doesn’t move progressively forward, it has a harder time reaching and fertilizing an egg, resulting in lower fertility rates.

DNA Fragmentation

Research suggests older men produce more sperm with DNA damage and gene mutations, potentially contributing to an increased risk of miscarriage and genetic abnormalities in their offspring.

Sperm DNA fragmentation, which refers to the breakage or separation of DNA strands, is thought to be more common in older men’s sperm due to higher oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, but more research is needed in this field.

How does having more birthday candles relate to lower sperm production and sperm quality? Research shows that certain medical conditions that become more prevalent with age, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and environmental factors can all compromise healthy sperm production.

Medical Conditions

Medical conditions like low testosterone, obesity, diabetes, and others can have a negative effect on sperm production and semen quality. Some of these conditions become more prevalent with age.

• Low testosterone levels: Testosterone plays a crucial function in sperm production. Studies show that testosterone decreases gradually over time, with 40 percent of men over 45 having clinically low testosterone levels. Low T is also linked to other men’s health issues like erectile dysfunction (ED) and low sex drive.

• Obesity: Research shows that obesity can hinder sperm production by interfering with testosterone production. Though obesity can occur at any age, studies show that abdominal fat increases with age, and the prevalence of obesity is rising steadily among older age groups.

• Diabetes: Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can negatively affect male fertility. Though type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, research suggests the risk of type 2 diabetes increases with age.

• Cancer: There are different ways cancer can affect sperm production. Cancerous tumors can cause blockages that affect the male reproductive organs directly or the glands that secrete hormones related to reproduction. Cancer treatments and surgeries, like radiation or radical prostatectomies, can also impair sperm production. According to the American Cancer Society, older men are more likely to become infertile after cancer treatment.

• Varicoceles: A varicocele is the enlargement of veins in the scrotum, the loose bag of skin that holds the testicles. It affects sperm production by raising the testicular temperature, increasing intratesticular pressure, and cutting off the supply of oxygen to the testes. Some studies show a link between advanced age and an increased risk of varicoceles, though this link may be related to other age-related changes, like low T.

• Blockages: Blockages of the ejaculatory duct can prevent sperm from entering the ejaculate, causing oligospermia or azoospermia. Ejaculatory duct blockages can occur at any age, but they’re rare, making up just 5 percent of male infertility cases.

Alcohol Consumption

Research shows drinking alcohol regularly can harm sperm quality and production. This happens because alcohol creates oxidative stress, which reduces testosterone.

Hot Tubs

A study of more than 3,000 couples found that using hot tubs was linked to a moderate decline in fertility, especially in men over 30. Hot tubs increase scrotal temperature, which has been shown to reduce sperm concentration, impair sperm motility, and increase sperm DNA damage.

Environmental Factors

Exposure to various environmental toxins, such as phthalates, BPA, heavy metals, and tobacco smoke, has been found to impair sperm production. 

The best way to assess your sperm health is to undergo a semen analysis. This test analyzes the number and quality of sperm in a provided semen sample. You can either visit a urology clinic, fertility specialist, or your usual healthcare provider or order a semen analysis testing kit online.

If your semen analysis indicates low sperm count or quality, there are a few different procedures and male fertility treatments you may want to explore:

• Varicocelectomy: Studies show that repairing a varicocele (varicocelectomy) can increase sperm count so successfully that couples facing fertility issues may no longer require invasive assisted reproductive technology like in vitro fertilization (IVF).

• Hormonal treatments: Research indicates that using selective estrogen receptor modulators like clomiphene citrate or enclomiphene citrate may help improve sperm count by stimulating testosterone production. The same goes for testosterone replacement therapy. 

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI): Also known as artificial insemination, IUI involves placing “washed” sperm directly into the uterus during ovulation to boost the chances of pregnancy.

• In vitro fertilization (IVF): More costly than IUI, IVF involves retrieving eggs from a woman’s ovaries, fertilizing them with a man’s sperm to form an embryo, and then implanting the embryo into the uterus.

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): If a high-quality sperm sample cannot be obtained, your provider may recommend surgical sperm retrieval for IVF or using donor sperm. ICSI is a surgical sperm retrieval technique in which a single sperm is injected into an egg and then implanted into the uterus.

Beyond male infertility treatments, here are some actions you can take now to promote healthy sperm production.

• Maintain a healthy weight (or lose weight if necessary)

• Follow a healthy diet

• Exercise regularly

• Lower your stress levels

• Limit alcohol

• Quit smoking

• Limit your time in hot tubs

• Don’t wear tight-fitting underwear

• Get adequate sleep

By now, you’ve learned there’s no set age when a man stops producing sperm. However, certain age-related factors can affect a man’s sperm count. Here’s what we know:

• Sperm production may continue indefinitely, but quality can decline. Men can produce sperm throughout their life, but sperm count, motility, and morphology may decline with age, especially after 50. This can lead to reduced fertility and increased risks for genetic issues in children.

• Lifestyle choices and medical conditions can affect sperm count and quality. Factors like obesity, low testosterone, and environmental toxins can negatively impact sperm production and quality. Regular alcohol consumption and exposure to high temperatures may also contribute to decreased sperm health.

• There are steps you can take to help maintain healthy sperm. Some proactive steps you can take to promote healthy sperm include staying active, eating nutritious food, reducing alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking. Fertility treatments and hormone therapy may help you conceive if your sperm count is low.

Like sperm quality, erectile function also tends to decline with age. If you are looking to improve the quality of your erections, learn about available ED medications and get advice from a healthcare professional today to see if they’re right for you.