A Harvard-trained doctor has suggested that vaping could be causing a crash in sperm counts in men.
San Francisco gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi said chemicals in the devices can enter the bloodstream and travel to the testicles.
Once there, he said, they could kill sperm or damage swimmers and the DNA they carry, harming a man’s fertility.
Sperm counts have been in free fall for decades, in a crisis that experts say now “threatens the survival of humanity.”
San Francisco gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi warned online that chemicals in the devices can enter the bloodstream and travel to the testicles (above, screenshots from his TikTok)
In 1973, Studies suggest The average ejaculate contained about 101.2 million sperm per milliliter (million/ml) of semen.
But by 2018, they had more than halved to just 49 million/ml.
However, there is no concrete evidence linking e-cigarette use to falling sperm counts, with experts blaming other factors such as increasing waistlines.
Dr. David Shusterman, a urologist in New York City, said: “I would recommend that people not vape, but that’s not because of any impact on sperm count, but rather because of other health problems associated with it.”
He added: “Everyone seems to think that anything can cause a decrease in sperm count, and in reality it is mainly a person’s lifestyle.”
He said other factors were more likely to play a role in low sperm counts, including less exercise and a diet high in ultra-processed foods.
Age may also play a role: Studies show that a man’s sperm count declines by up to three percent annually from age 40 onwards.
Previous studies have warned that smoking reduces a man’s sperm count because of the toxic substances released by the fire from its combustion (or what happens when something burns).
In a TikTok video, he revealed three things he believes could be reducing a man’s fertility.
Vaporizers don’t use the same combustion fire, but instead rely on atomization (when a liquid is broken down into very fine droplets or mist), meaning they don’t release the same toxic substances.
Speaking in the TikTok clip posted to his audience of 364,000 followers, Dr Sethi said: “Vaping introduces chemicals like propylene glycol, which has been linked to decreased sperm quality and motility (movement),” he said.
‘These chemicals can cause oxidative stress which can affect your fertility.’
Men are more likely to vape than women: A CDC survey estimates that about 5.1 percent of men ages 18 and older are current e-cigarette users.
But younger men are much more likely to use these devices: rates double to 11.6 percent in the 18-24 age group.
Concerns about e-cigarettes and fertility add to a growing list of health problems linked to the devices, which also includes an increased risk of lung cancer, lung damage and heart disease.
In his video, Dr. Sethi revealed his top three “male fertility killers.”
The other two he named were sitting in hot saunas and keeping a cell phone in their front pocket, saying both could harm a man’s sperm count.
He said: ‘High temperatures in hot tubs and saunas can reduce sperm count and quality because the testicles need cooler temperatures to produce healthy sperm.
‘A single prolonged exposure can affect sperm production for up to three months.
‘Secondly… research shows that carrying a mobile phone in your front pocket can reduce sperm count and motility due to electromagnetic radiation.’
Some studies have suggested that saunas may reduce sperm count because they cause thermal stress on the testicles, with the average temperature being around 155 to 195°F being well above the 93.2°F needed to generate healthy sperm.
But male fertility researchers and urologists have previously said this should only be a concern for someone who does these exercises regularly.
Previous studies have also suggested that mobile phones could harm sperm count because the heat produced by the devices could cause thermal stress in the testicles.
But in recent decades, with the emergence of new technologies, the power output of phones has decreased, greatly reducing this risk.
Previous studies have also found no consistent link between where a person’s phone is kept on their body and the quality of their sperm.
Other experts say these claims have already been “debunked.”
Dr. Sethi regularly posts online health tips for his followers on TikTok, as well as other social media platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube.