The State of Male Fertility Awareness · 2026

Most men think they understand their fertility. Few are sure.

We surveyed 1,000 UK men aged 30–50. 77% say they feel confident about male fertility — yet only 28% are very confident. We call it the confidence gap, and it’s quietly shaping how, and whether, men act.

Read the findings

1,000 UK men surveyed Aged 30–50 nationally representative OnePoll · March 2026

The State of Male Fertility Awareness 2026 report shown on two tablets

The headline finding

Confident, but unchecked

Most men feel they understand fertility. Far fewer feel very confident — and three-quarters have never had their fertility or health tested. The good news: closing the gap is simple.

Get the full report

0%

feel confident they understand male fertility

but only

0%

are “very confident”

1 in 10

would tell no one if they had a fertility concern — not even their partner

The State of Male Fertility Awareness 2026

Four numbers that should make us talk

We surveyed 1,000 UK men aged 30–50. The data tells one story: men are confident about fertility, but most have never acted on it.

0%

have never had their fertility or sperm health tested

0%

were unaware male fertility supplements exist

0%

feel men aren’t given enough fertility information vs women

0

would tell no one if they had a fertility concern

Expert perspective

What the specialists make of it.

Commentary from fertility nutritionists and reproductive-health experts on what the confidence gap means — and the simple, evidence-led steps men can take.

Historically, fertility conversations have focused much more heavily on women, but male fertility is equally important. What we are seeing increasingly is that men feel broadly aware of fertility, but often don’t realise how significantly everyday lifestyle factors can influence reproductive health. The positive shift is that men are beginning to engage more openly with topics such as nutrition, sleep, stress and preventative wellbeing. Fertility should be viewed as part of long-term health, not simply something to think about once there is a problem.

Zita West Fertility Expert & Founder

Which factors do men link to male fertility?

% of men who recognise each factor as affecting fertility

Alcohol76%

Stress72%

Poor diet68%

Age64%

Lack of sleep47%

Tight underwear44%

Exercise levels36%

Heat (laptops, saunas)36%

Widely recognised Common blind spot

What men know — and what they miss

Men recognise the headline risks. The everyday ones slip through.

Alcohol, stress and diet are widely understood. But the factors woven into ordinary daily life — sleep, heat, what you wear, how you train — are the ones most men overlook. These are the blind spots that information campaigns rarely reach.

Q3 · Recognised risk factors

The age blind spot

Nearly 1 in 4 men believe male fertility only declines after 45 — or doesn’t decline at all.

Sperm quality begins to change far earlier than most men expect. This single misconception delays the conversations and the lifestyle changes that matter most.

The silence around it

Men will tell a partner or a doctor. Almost no one else.

Fertility remains a private subject for men. Beyond the people closest to them, the conversation stops — friends, employers and wider support networks are largely left out. One in ten men say they would talk to no one at all.

Q6 · Who men confide in

Who would men talk to about a fertility concern?

% who would confide in each person

Their partner67%

Their GP65%

Friends27%

Their employer6%

1 in 10 men would talk to no one at all

The workplace paradox

75% want fertility support at work. Just 6% would raise it with their boss.

Men overwhelmingly believe fertility support belongs in workplace benefits — but the same men won’t be the ones to ask for it. The demand is real; the stigma is the barrier. For employers and brands, that’s an open invitation to lead the conversation.

0%

think fertility support should be a workplace benefit

0%

feel comfortable raising it with their employer

From awareness to action

Once men know, many are ready to act.

Awareness on its own changes little — but it turns out men aren’t indifferent. Given the facts, a clear majority say they’d change daily habits, and millions would consider testing, supplements or expert support.

What men say they’d do to support their fertility

% who would take each step once aware it matters

55%

Improve their diet

47%

Cut back on alcohol

42%

Get tested

39%

Take a supplement

35%

Seek expert advice

The intent is there. What’s missing is the right information at the right moment — and a clear, supportive next step to act on.

The window that changes everything

Sperm renews about every 12 weeks.

Unlike age, this is a factor men can act on. Because the body makes fresh sperm roughly every three months, the choices made today show up in about twelve weeks — making it the single most useful number in male fertility.

0

Week 0 · Start

Make the change

Adjust diet, alcohol, sleep and daily habits — and begin targeted nutritional support.

4

Week 4 · Underway

New sperm forming

A fresh cycle of sperm is already developing. Early habits start to matter.

8

Week 8 · Building

Consistency compounds

Sustained changes keep shaping the sperm now maturing through the cycle.

12

Week 12 · Renewed

A full fresh cycle

Today’s sperm reflect roughly twelve weeks of choices — the payoff window.

The takeaway: there’s no instant fix — but there is a clear one. Start today and the work of the next twelve weeks can support healthier sperm by the time it counts.