Tick-Tock Goes the Male Biological Clock

Ever thought about your biological clock? Well, it turns out, women aren’t the only ones who have one.

Dr Pepper Schwartz, a sociology professor from the University of Washington, told Channel 7’s Sunrise program that 53 is a “pivotal age” in his life when, typically, “lust lovers” get a sense of their own mortality and start to think about reproduction, and whether they need to get on with it before they’re too late.

While it was long thought that men’s fertility lasted a lifetime – and examples like India’s 90-year-old farmer Nanu Ram Jogi, who fathered a child last year, do little to change that perception! – it is actually scientifically acknowledged that men do indeed face a decline in fertility as they age. The difference between men and women, however, is that the fertility level doesn’t disappear completely for men.

Scientific American has reported on studies that show older men are more likely to father children with mental illness.

Author of The Male Biological Clock: The Startling News About Aging, Sexuality, and Fertility in Men Harry Fisch explains that germ cells continually divide in order to keep sperm levels up. When a man reaches the age of 50, those cells will have divided, on average, 840 times.

“There’s more of a chance to have genetic abnormalities the more the cells divide,” Fisch says.

Studies have also shown that men above the age of 35 had sperm with more DNA damage than those younger, proving that age starts to affect a man’s fertility pretty early on.

What’s your experience? Has the male biological clock ever ticked loudly in your ear? Did it move certain life choices along quicker? Let us know your stories in the comments below…

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.