I briefly touched on the importance of protecting masculinity in a previous post, and today will be the day that I unpack some things. Western culture has become so narcissistically effeminate and toxic towards men that manhood training programs for boys and adult males (unfortunately) are beginning to sprout. Many are blaming liberalism, feminism, and crybaby culture masked as social justice as the culprits. But I believe the problem is much deeper, there’s a science behind the war on men.

For the sake of time and my sanity, I’m going to focus on three major problems men currently have. Afterward, I will provide solutions.

Let’s begin.

Physical Strength: Men Are Becoming Weaker

Men today, Millennials and Generation Z, are physically weaker than our fathers were 30 years ago. Men’s Health advised that the Journal of Hand Therapy found that men ages 20 to 34 have lower grip and pinch strength than men in the 1980s; the average grip strength for men 25 to 29 years old is 26 pounds lower today. Grip and pinch strength measure how strong your hand and upper extremities are, and lower grip strength has been linked to arthritis, heart disease, stroke, and neurological conditions.

The main reason for this weakening is the fact that Millennial and Generation Z men are less likely to work manual labor jobs, such as manufacturing and agriculture. Assembly line work, for example, requires the repetitive handling of weighted objects, which strengthens the hands and grip substantially. These jobs played a major factor in the overall strength of men. Unlike today, where men are doing more typing and texting than lifting.

Declining Testosterone Levels

According to Balance My Hormones, testosterone, also known as androgen, is a hormone that’s found in both men and women. For men, testosterone is used for body development during puberty, sperm creation, muscle & bone building, and libido. Factors that may affect testosterone levels include chemotherapy, metabolic disorders, testicular trauma, drugs/alcohol, suppressed immune systems, chronic kidney failure, certain medications, obesity, and age. Testosterone levels are declining in men today, and many are arguing that it’s not solely due to aging.

A study presented by Gary Wittert, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia, advised that the drop in testosterone is more likely due to the man’s behavioral and health changes than age.

“Declining testosterone levels are not an inevitable part of the aging process, as many people think.”

“Testosterone changes are largely explained by smoking behavior and changes in health status, particularly obesity and depression.”

The Urology Times highlights another study done by Soum Lokeshwar, MD, MBA, an incoming urology resident at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, who added additional factors. Those included increased obesity/BMI, assay variations, diet/phytoestrogens, declined exercise and physical activity, fat percentage, marijuana use, and environmental toxins.

“Overall male testosterone decline can be attributed to multiple etiologies. The United States has an aging population with older males exhibiting lower testosterone levels. Furthermore, overall population has an increase in comorbidities, including diabetes, which may have cause this testosterone decrease nationally.”

“We’ve seen that lower values of testosterone have been associated with increased comorbidities and an increase risk for all-cause mortality. This decline specifically, in these young adult men, with increased obesity may lead to an increase in precocious cancer.”

“This is especially worrisome in this young adult age group, as many men feel stigma and are less likely to seek care for these low libido and erectile dysfunction.”

“Testosterone levels in AYA men are used as the benchmark normal levels for testosterone. This is very scary, because generally, when we think of normal values of testosterone, we treat based upon this age group. This may ultimately lead to the undertreatment of testosterone deficiency, which can have large ramifications and severe consequences.”

Low Sperm Count

A paper from the journal Human Reproduction Update, by way of Discover, advised that the sperm count in men between 1973 and 2011 fell more than 50 percent. Studies have found a decline in men from America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The rate of decline is not slowing down, with a decline also occurring in men’s health and fertility.

According to Scientific American, Hagai Levine, co-leader at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem, stated the following:

“This study is an urgent wake-up call for researchers and health authorities around the world to investigate the causes of the sharp ongoing drop in sperm count.”

Nighttime artificial light exposure, matter pollution, processed meats, obesity, heated car seats, cell phones, ibuprofen, cannabis, paracetamol, drugs/alcohol, tight underwear, and chemicals that we’re exposed to daily are being labeled as the culprits. COVID-19 has also been blamed, with studies suggesting a link between COVID-19 infections and poor sperm health.

A specialist in embryology and stem cell biology at Britain’s Manchester University, Daniel Brison, stated the following:

“An unanswered question is whether the impact of whatever is causing declining sperm counts will be seen in future generations of children via epigenetic (gene modifications) or other mechanisms operating in sperm.”

There you have it, the bad. Now, it’s time for some solutions that will reverse these problems. And there is an overlap between all of them.

1. Healthy Lifestyle
   • Eat Clean. The produce section that consists of apples, oranges, bananas, spinach, avocado, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, etc. is your best friend. Our food has to be our medicine and daily vitamins. So eat your fruit/vegetables, healthy carbs, lean meats, and drink water.
   • Go to bed. Lack of sleep can affect your hormones (testosterone levels), so it’s imperative that you strive for 7-8 hours every night.
   • Limit alcohol intake and smoking. Turn-up culture may be fun, but it is linked to lower testosterone and sperm counts. So simmer down.
   • Reduce stress. This may be hard for some, but it must be done. Depression and stress have been linked to obesity and hormone imbalances. So meditate and separate from anything or anyone that’s causing you stress.
2. Exercise
   • The “M” in man stands for manual. Fellas, that means that you should be moving and exercising five days a week, at minimum. Men have to be physically strong, healthy, and active daily. Whether you’re working out for vanity reasons, your health or both doesn’t matter. Go to the gym, pick up something heavy, and put it back down; don’t forget your cardio.
3. Turn Off Electronics
   • Our pads, cellphones, laptops, etc. may be great, but they are affecting our bodies. So turn off your devices before bed, don’t carry your cellphone in your pocket, and do not put your laptop on your lap.
4. Block Out The Left
   • DO NOT…I repeat…DO NOT listen to liberals, feminists, social justice warriors, and misandrists with penis envy. They all tend to have a similar archetype, so if you’re unfamiliar with who they are, take a look at any left-wing social/political commentator in mainstream media. Yeah, block them out.

Men have to protect themselves from this overt attack on masculinity. There’s a lot more that needs to be covered, but I figured this was a decent starting point.

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Photo Credit: Chaos and Pain, The Kincaid Journal, Balance My Hormones, and Medical News Today

Fowler, P. (2016, August 9). A New Study Finds That Men Are Weaker Today Than They Were 30 Years Ago. Men’s Health. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19526832/grip-strength-weaker-today/. 

Kahl, K. L. (2020, July 3). Testosterone levels show steady decrease among young US men. Urology Times. https://www.urologytimes.com/view/testosterone-levels-show-steady-decrease-among-young-us-men. 

Kelland, K. (2017, July 26). Sperm Count Dropping in Western World. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sperm-count-dropping-in-western-world/. 

Kocsis, M. (2021, July 8). What are normal testosterone levels? Balance Hormones. https://balancemyhormones.co.uk/what-are-normal-testosterone-levels/. 

Low sperm count. Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sperm-count/symptoms-causes/syc-20374585. 

Scharping, N. (2021, May 1). Sperm Counts Are on the Decline. Is the Human Race in Danger? Discover. https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/sperm-counts-are-on-the-decline-is-the-human-race-in-danger. 

Declining testosterone levels in men not part of normal aging. Science Daily. (2012, June 23). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120623144944.htm. 

How do you boost testosterone naturally? Medical News Today. (n.d.). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322508.