Decreased Sperm Volume with Aging is Normal

Yes, a decrease in sperm volume is a normal and expected part of the aging process in elderly males. 1

Age-Related Changes in Semen Volume

Aging men experience significant reductions in semen volume as a physiological consequence of aging:

Semen volume decreases substantially with age, with older men (52-79 years) producing approximately 1.8 ml compared to 3.2 ml in younger men under 52 years—a reduction of nearly 44%. 1
Total sperm output declines markedly, with elderly men producing a median of 74 million sperm per ejaculate versus 206 million in younger men, representing a 64% reduction. 1
These changes begin gradually from age 25 onward and progressively worsen with advancing age, reflecting ongoing testicular aging and declining reproductive function. 2

Beyond volume reduction, elderly men experience multiple other semen parameter changes:

Progressive motility decreases significantly with age (51-81 years versus 20-32 years), with age 51-81 associated with a 3.63-fold increased odds of reduced progressive motility. 3
Sperm morphology deteriorates, with normal forms declining from 25% in younger men to 14% in older men, and abnormal forms showing a 3.89-fold increased odds in the 51-81 age group. 1, 3
Sperm vitality drops substantially, from 80% in younger men to 51% in older men, indicating reduced viability. 1
Sperm DNA fragmentation increases, with elderly men showing 23.1% DNA fragmentation compared to 9.8% in younger controls—a more than 2-fold increase reflecting genomic fragility. 3

The physiological basis for these changes includes:

Progressive testicular failure occurs with aging, evidenced by gradually increasing gonadotropin levels (FSH and LH), though basal testosterone remains reasonably normal in healthy older men. 2
Capsular tissue increases in the testis with advancing years, and sperm production per testis falls off with aging. 2
Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce errors during DNA replication and transcription, contributing to sperm dysfunction, altered protamination, and chromatin condensation abnormalities. 4, 3
Altered protamine expression occurs in elderly men, with significantly lower expression of PRM1 (2.2-fold decrease) and PRM2 (4.6-fold decrease) compared to younger controls. 3

Despite these age-related declines, fertility potential may be preserved:

If an older man can achieve erection, ejaculate, and produce a reasonable number of motile sperm, the likelihood is that he remains fertile, as zona pellucida-free hamster egg penetration tests show comparable results between aged and younger men. 2
Male age does not significantly affect assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes, suggesting that while sperm quality declines, pregnancy success rates through ART remain achievable. 5

Obesity compounds age-related decline, with obesity associated with reduced progressive motility (OR 1.58) and increased abnormal forms (OR 1.87), suggesting lifestyle factors further worsen age-related impairment. 3
Declining fertility in couples from the fourth decade is largely attributable to female fertility decline rather than male factors, though male contributions become increasingly relevant with advanced paternal age. 1