Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had even Fox News host Jesse Watters baffled after claiming during an appearance on Watters' program that testosterone levels and sperm count in teen boys are lower than the levels seen in 68-year-old men.
Kennedy—who is 71—made the claim during a conversation about the government’s plans to ban eight common artificial food dyes by year’s end. After outlining his push to combat chronic disease and listing a range of health problems affecting Americans, he shifted focus to male fertility, which made things very, very weird.
He said:
“We have fertility rates that are just spiraling. A teenager today, an American teenager, has less testosterone than a 68-year-old man. Sperm counts are down 50 percent and girls are hitting puberty six years early."
An incredulous Watters responded:
“Wait, an American teenager has less testosterone than a 60-year-old man?"
Kennedy was firm:
“That’s right. Testosterone levels have dropped 50 percent from historic levels. And, you know, that is a problem. It’s an existential problem. That is only when we have obesity off the charts.”
You can hear what Kennedy said in the video below.
Kennedy couldn't be more wrong.
As men age, it’s natural for testosterone levels and muscle mass to slowly decline. Starting around age 40, testosterone typically drops by 1 to 2% per year. Yet, because testosterone isn’t usually tested during routine checkups, many men may not realize their symptoms—like fatigue, depression, or hair loss—are linked to hormonal changes.
By age 45, more than a third of men have testosterone levels below what’s considered normal. In addition to lower energy and mood changes, low testosterone can contribute to decreased muscle mass, hair thinning, and even weakened bones, which raises the risk of fractures.
Over the past 50 years, global sperm counts appear to have dropped by more than 50%, according to a 2022 review published in Human Reproduction Update. The study, which analyzed data from 1973 to 2018, stirred debate among fertility experts—some supported the findings, while others argued that evolving methods for measuring sperm make long-term comparisons unreliable.
But Kennedy—a noted anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist whose own family has decried his Cabinet appointment—is wholly unqualified to comment on these matters.
It was a truly bizarre moment that prompted many to criticize Kennedy's latest false health claim.
Kennedy also used his appearance on Watters' program to spread more misinformation about autism, saying there "was a wave of anger against me because I announced that we're going to find the cause of autism," which he has referred to as an "epidemic."
Earlier this week, Gwen Walz, the wife of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, criticized Kennedy for describing autism as an “individual tragedy" in remarks to reporters.
Mrs. Walz, whose son Gus has ADHD, a nonverbal learning disorder, and an anxiety disorder, called Kennedy's remarks "deeply upsetting, especially coming from our nation’s highest-ranking health official."
Kennedy's remarks came as he moved to have the The National Institutes of Health (NIH) gather private medical records from various federal and commercial databases to study autism more comprehensively. In a development that has many advocates concerned and outraged, a new national disease registry is being launched to track Americans diagnosed with autism, and it will be integrated into this broader data collection effort.
