The Jordan Harbinger Show Episode 1254:

Justin Houman | Wiggling Out of the Male Fertility Crisis

December 9, 2025

Overview

This episode features Dr. Justin Houman, a urologist and men’s health specialist, in an eye-opening, often humorous deep-dive into the so-called "male fertility crisis." The conversation moves beyond the clickbait headlines about falling sperm counts, exploring male fertility as a critical marker for overall health. Dr. Houman addresses root causes, emerging treatments, the real significance of low sperm counts, and practical steps men can take across the decades to maximize both reproductive and general well-being. Fertility, hormones, testosterone, porn-induced dysfunction, penis size myths, and cutting-edge treatments all get examined—candidly, scientifically, and with a side of irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The “Male Fertility Crisis”

• Current Data: Sperm counts have dropped over 50% globally in the last 40 years (03:46).

• Is This a Crisis?

  • Dr. Houman: “To a certain extent we're making it sound a lot worse than it is to make it sound like [the] human race is going to end.” (06:34)
  • The decrease is concerning but not necessarily catastrophic; much of the crisis talk is correlation, not causation.

• Sperm Counts as a Diagnostic Barometer:

  • Low sperm count reflects broader systemic health issues: “Reproductive health is a snapshot of your overall health.” (08:15)
  • Factors like processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, and rising global obesity are implicated.

Notable Quote
Jordan: “Male fertility is basically a diagnostic Report for the rest of your body, your hormones, your cardiovascular health, your metabolic health, even your longevity.” (01:59)

2. Underlying Causes and Myths

• Delayed Parenthood & Lifestyle (04:01–05:50)

  • Later marriages and delayed childbearing play a role, but declining sperm health is global and influenced by mass-produced, processed diets and inactivity.

• Processed Foods:
  Dr. Houman: "Processed foods aren't good for you... The more unprocessed natural foods, the better off for your reproductive health.” (05:29)

• Correlation ≠ Causation:

  • Lower sperm counts are linked to higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even early mortality, but mostly through overall systemic health decline.

3. Testing, Prevention & Sperm Banking

• At-Home Sperm Testing:
  • Reliable, accessible, and a smart first move for any age (09:26).
  • Brands recommended: meatfellow.com, Daddy, Legacy (10:00–10:12).

Notable Moment
Jordan on company names: “Why are they named creepy things?” (10:10)

• Sperm Freezing:
  • Reasonable for men delaying children; framed as practical insurance (10:15–10:49).

4. Interpreting Sperm Count Data

• Declining sperm is alarming, but clinical infertility is still rare due to massive baseline sperm production.
• Low sperm often symptomless—most men discover problems only when actively trying to conceive (08:36–09:15).

5. Improving Fertility and General Health

• “What’s Good for the Heart Is Good for the Testicles” (14:28–15:41)

  • Diet: Unprocessed, vegetables, lean protein.
  • Exercise: Cardio, strength training increases testosterone.
  • Sleep: 7+ hours.
  • Stress: Minimize for optimal hormone levels.

• Supplements:

  • CoQ10, Vitamin E, Ashwagandha are specifically cited as helpful (15:42).

• Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT):

  • Not recommended for young or midlife men wanting kids; TRT suppresses natural sperm and testosterone production (17:23–17:49).
  • Natural optimization—address deficiencies and lifestyle first—should precede medical intervention.

Notable Exchange
Jordan: "If you're injecting it, it's like you get three days and it's off the charts and then it dips down... you're on this weird roller coaster." (17:08)

6. Medical Conditions: Varicocele

• Definition: Varicose veins of the testicles, common and often underdiagnosed (22:12–22:50).
• Consequences: Pain, infertility, hormonal disruption, testicular atrophy.
• Diagnosis: Requires skill—most primary care providers miss it.
• Treatment: Simple surgical procedure, outpatient under general anesthesia (25:26–25:54).

7. Penis Size: Social Myths & Measurement Problems

• Data showing a rise in average size is dubious; much is selection bias and methodology flaws.
• Endocrine disruptors hypothesized, but skepticism prevails (26:39–28:17).

Notable Quote
“Imagine what's going to be in 80 years. What are going to be 8 inches... that number doesn't necessarily make sense to me.” —Dr. Houman (27:02)

8. Hormones, Decades, and Sexual Health—Practical Strategies

20s & 30s:

• Build habits for life: exercise, diet, sleep, stress.
• Only supplement if necessary—focus on fundamentals. (34:10–34:41)

40s & Beyond:

• Testosterone commonly declines, 1–2% per year after 30.
• Consider “insurance” steps, like regular Cialis (5mg 1–2x/week) for vascular/erectile maintenance, starting at 40 (35:29–37:00).

9. Mental Health & Hormones

• Strong bidirectional link: hormonal imbalances can worsen depression/anxiety; chronic stress can lower testosterone (46:15–46:26).
• Many men fail to recognize symptoms are fixable with simple bloodwork and dietary change (41:15–42:23).

10. Emerging Therapies & Sexual Optimization

• PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Injections (63:41–65:18):

  • Highly concentrated growth factors injected into the penis for tissue elasticity and vascular improvement.
  • Pain is minimal due to anesthesia; data now supports efficacy in some.
  • Works best as adjunct to Viagra/Cialis.

• Shockwave Therapy: (66:02–67:16)

  • High-energy sound waves induce microtrauma and new blood vessel growth, improving erectile function.
  • “If you’re trying to optimize your erections, that’s the best way of doing it.” — Dr. Houman (66:02)

• Botox:

  • Mixed results—relaxes smooth muscle, increases blood flow, but not as consistent as shockwave or PRP (69:01–70:14).

• Mechanical & Surgical Enhancements:

  • Penis pumps and extenders: Can increase length by modest amounts with sustained daily use, but risky (71:50–72:52).
  • Implants (Penuma): Gain in girth, possibly some length, but higher risk (73:07–74:13).
  • Hyaluronic acid fillers: Safer, reversible option for girth (75:45–76:52).
  • Other fillers (e.g., PMMA) should be avoided due to risk of permanent disfigurement (76:05–78:01).

11. Porn, Masturbation & Dopamine

• Porn-Induced ED:
  • Younger men can experience erectile problems from overuse of porn, but is reversible with abstinence (53:57–54:44).
  • “If a guy stops for honestly like a couple weeks, you’ll start to notice the difference.” —Dr. Houman (53:57)
• Healthy Habits:
  • Balance is key; recommended “for every two times you watch porn for masturbation, one time don’t” (61:32).

12. Other Hormones: Insulin, Cortisol, Thyroid

• Insulin resistance, high cortisol, and thyroid dysfunction all affect sexual/hormonal health (62:21–63:18).
• Important to test TSH (thyroid) alongside testosterone.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The body is just going to do everything better if it’s in better shape.” —Jordan (16:11)
• “The incentives in this industry are completely wrong.” —Dr. Houman on TRT clinics (22:02)
• “If you have low sperm counts, it's kind of a wake up call. Hey, fix your overall health picture.” —Dr. Houman (08:15)
• “The penis is the canary in the coal mine. A tragic, tiny canary for most of us.” —Jordan (02:05)
• On porn and the Internet era: “There’s no scenario in which I wouldn’t have watched porn constantly as a teenager. Zero chance. I just didn’t have access to it.” (59:15)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Male Fertility Data & Crisis? — (03:46–06:50)
• What Impacts Sperm? Lifestyle & Processed Foods — (04:33–05:41)
• Testing/Fertility at Home — (09:16–10:49)
• Varicocele Discussion — (22:05–25:54)
• Penis Size Myths and Studies — (26:14–28:17)
• Optimizing Sexual and Hormonal Health Across the Decades — (34:10–37:44)
• Mental Health and Hormones — (46:15–47:41)
• Cutting-Edge Treatments: PRP, Shockwave, Botox — (63:41–70:14)
• Enhancement Devices (Pumps, Implants, Fillers) — (71:50–78:05)
• Porn, Dopamine, and Young Men’s ED — (53:57–61:51)

Practical Takeaways & Action Steps

• Holistic Health = Better Fertility: Good reproductive markers are inseparable from healthy diet, regular exercise, proper sleep, and low stress.
• Bloodwork Baselines: Test early, test regularly (T, thyroid, sugar, etc.); trends over time are more important than one-off values.
• Avoid Jumping to TRT: Rule out modifiable causes and deficiencies first; use pharmaceuticals as a last resort, especially if planning for kids.
• Consider At-Home Testing & Sperm Banking if you plan to delay fatherhood for career or health reasons.
• Porn Use: Moderation is key; excessive exposure rewires dopamine pathways but reverses with abstinence.
• Supplements: CoQ10, Vitamin E, ashwagandha, Vitamin D—worth exploring if deficient.

Final Thoughts

This episode dismantles the hype around sperm count panic while underlining fertility as a crucial health signal for men. The actionable message: Be proactive; optimize fundamental health habits; don’t wait for symptoms in your 40s to pay attention to reproductive health. Modern treatments (PRP, shockwave, fillers) are promising but not without risks—always consult skilled professionals and consider the trade-offs.

For links to Dr. Houman’s practice and resources, as well as referenced products, see the episode’s show notes at jordanharbinger.com.

[This summary covers core content only; ads, sponsor segments, and non-content interludes have been omitted.]