The Huffington Post: How 'Looksmaxxing' Social Media Trends Could Be Secretly Damaging Your Fertility
“Looksmaxxing” has become increasingly mainstream online, with young people encouraged to take extreme measures, including strict dieting and heavy steroid use, in pursuit of a particular physical appearance. In an interview with the Huffington Post, our founder Baroness Geeta Nargund spoke about the potential fertility risks that can accompany some of these measures:
Anabolic steroids and non-prescribed testosterone can have a serious impact on male fertility, causing sperm count to plummet.
Trying to stay extremely slim can also affect female fertility. Being too underweight can stop the body from ovulating altogether, and has also been found to affect bone health, causing osteoporosis.
Baroness Nargund stressed that social media can be an unreliable source of information. To reduce these fertility risks, young people need practical, evidence-based education, with examples to help them better understand the consequences of products and practices promoted to them online.
She also highlighted the value of public health and school education around these issues, alongside advice from healthcare professionals when people are considering medication or other treatments that could affect their health and fertility.