“Stoked to See Spotlight on Shooting Blanks”

“Stoked to See Spotlight on Shooting Blanks” – Aaron Gascoigne

An Auckland Fund Manager who cured his own infertility says a ground-breaking Otago University study could be the game-changer for thousands of kiwi couples trying to conceive.

“Finally, we have solid scientific evidence that says we should be looking much harder at the part sperm plays in this conception gig, quite simply, a lot more men are shooting blanks than we thought. This is a really positive development because it will put the spotlight on sperm quality and we can improve that quickly and cheaply”.

Aaron Gascoigne will be familiar to viewers as one of the Corporate Dads from the first NZ series of ‘My Kitchen Rules’ that screened late last year. Aaron’s interest in food stemmed from his desperate bid to improve his own sperm quality after he and his wife, Jacinta failed to conceive for five years.

Aaron’s research lead to him taking a mashup of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants known to improve sperm health and just prior to their final round of IVF – Jacinta conceived.

Baby Ava was born in early 2011 and later that year the Gascoigne’s, with the support of the medical community, launched Vitamenz. The male fertility & libido supplement has all the vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants Aaron took but just packed into one tablet.

“I’m committed to getting the message to men about how easy it is to turbo charge your swimmers. I went from having a few sleepy swimmers too tired to try to 90 million alpha swimmers going for gold, within three months”.

“I’m not suggesting this will work for every infertile man but for many improving sperm health is a quick, cheap and easy fix - $175 and 100 days compared to $12,000 for one round of IVF and years on that intensely emotional rollercoaster”.

Infertility rates have been declining world-wide for decades and the age of 40 is still seen as the starting point for decline.

Yesterday, Fairfax Media reported that an Otago University study has found that a significant proportion of fertility problems related to men exclusively or a combination of male and female factors.

The research also found 22 per cent of men in their late 30s experienced infertility and rates among women of the same age, have also been underestimated.

These findings stem from Otago University’s world-renowned Longitudinal Cohort Study, known as the Dunedin Study, which has followed a group of people born in 1972-73. Researchers defined infertility as either trying for a baby for more than a year or seeking help with conceiving.

“It’s kind’ve ironic in this highly connected digital world that we still find communicating about infertility awkward. It also means the urban myths persist so men still assume they’ll be OK if they aren’t dope smokers or cyclists and if they already have a child. I thought I would be, Jack was a baby and it was time for another, easy”.

“But it's a fact, secondary infertility is more of an issue in NZ than infertility for your first child. I’d estimate that 60% of the men taking Vitamenz already have children and it makes sense because we know sperm quality starts to dramatically decline after age 35 and that’s often the time when couples are trying for number 2 or 3.”

“Scientists are still trying to establish why fertility levels are declining world-wide but I reckon they’ll eventually find that stress, diet and age will be the three big factors.”

ENDS

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