Until now, you probably haven’t associated infertility with the collapse of our global population. From the U.S. to India, to South Korea, Canada, the U.K. and more, fertility rates are reaching critical levels. Humans now meet 3 criterias for being an endangered species. 

If that doesn’t have you totally rattled yet, our guest today, Dr. Shanna Swan, epidemiologist best known for research she published in 2017 which set off alarms and caught the attention of major media and scholars around the world, joins Tom to highlight the many factors contributing to a 50% drop in fertility rates, testosterone, and reproductive function. 

Shanna’s work quickly became the world’s 26th most referenced scientific paper, and her latest book, Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race, delivers a less than optimistic view of guaranteed economic population collapse.

The information Dr. Shanna shares brings up major concerns for the future of humanity as a species and for our current health.


Chemicals leading to our extinction have some government incentivizing people to have sex and procreate.

Women’s education and rights to contraception, and urbanization are contributing to women’s lack of interest in birthing 5 and 6 kids.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals are nearly unavoidable as they’re in what you eat, drink and breathe

The under masculinization of males is an actual problem impacting their lifespan 

Lifestyle factors are part of this conversation and include obesity, stress, binge drinking, and poor metabolic health


Shanna gives a masterclass on phthalates, a chemical found in plastics that make them softer, helps products be more absorbable, holds scent and color better in everyday products we’re accustomed to using, and she shares a simple poem to help you identify safer recycled plastic options. Looking at the number on your plastic bottles, commit this to memory…

“5,4,1 and 2 all the rest are bad for you.”

Resources Mentioned: 
Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline by Darrell Bricker & John Ibbitson
Consumer Guide to Safer Products: https://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides 
World bank fertility data: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN  
Check out Dr. Shanna Swan’s books, Count Down: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1982113669 

Follow Dr. Shanna Swan: 
Website: https://www.shannaswan.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drshannaswan/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrShannaSwan

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