Unlike women, who are born with a lifetime supply of eggs, men are constantly making new sperm. But the spermatogonia — the immature stem cells in the testes that replenish sperm — are constantly dividing and replicating, with each round of division creating another possibility for error.
So what's a guy to do?
"I think what we're saying is that men, too, need to be concerned about their aging," Eskenazi said. "We don't really know what the complete effects are of men's age on their ability to produce viable, healthy offspring."
Fisch says healthy habits, regular exercise and a balanced diet may help preserve fertility. He advises against smoking and using anabolic steroids and hot tubs, all of which can damage sperm.
If pressed, he said, "I would tell people, 'If you're going to have kids, have them sooner rather than later.'"
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