Male Fertility: Improve Sperm Count, Motility
Sperm Quality is Affected by Lifestyle Choices, Changing Behaviors
Nov 7, 2009
Many men don’t realize that smoking, drinking alcohol and illicit drug use can affect fertility by decreasing sperm counts, damaging sperm, and causing decreased sperm motility. But even seemingly harmless everyday activities, like using laptops, can affect male fertility. Lifestyle changes can increase the chance of pregnancy in many cases.
How Low Sperm Count, Sperm Motility, Abnormal Sperm Affect Chance of Pregnancy
Couples can't achieve pregnancy unless both partners have a functioning reproductive system. For men, this means a normal sperm count of at least 20 million mIU/ ml, sperm that have good motility, meaning that they move in a forward progression, and sperm that have normal morphology, meaning they have a normal head, mid piece and tail. Abnormal looking sperm are often chromosomally abnormal or unable to cause pregnancy because they can't reach the egg.
Drugs and Substances That Affect Male Fertility
It will probably come as no surprise that some legal behaviors, substances, and exposures, such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, can affect sperm counts and motility. So can excess weight.
- Alcohol in large amounts can increase the number of abnormally shaped sperm, cause impotence, and alter male hormone levels.
- Chemical exposure can decrease sperm counts and increase abnormal sperm.
- Cigarette smoking can affect fertility by causing a low sperm count, and also by increasing the number of abnormal sperm.
- Prescription medications for depression and diabetes can cause impotence and affect sperm counts.
- Being overweight can lower sperm counts.
Illegal Drugs Can Cause Male Fertility Issues
Illegal drug use can cause many fertility issues, and should be looked at very carefully if couples want to get pregnant.
- Use of anabolic steroids can lead to a complete absence of sperm and impotence.
- Cocaine causes low sperm counts and an increase in abnormal sperm.
- Marijuana can lower sperm counts and decrease amounts of seminal fluid.
Normal Activities That Can Decrease Sperm Counts
Many healthy, perfectly normal activities can cause surprising harm to male fertility.
- Bicycling can cause sperm problems from the pressure of the bicycle seat on the testes.
- Hot tubs and saunas, which raise the temperature of the testes can damage sperm.
- Laptops can impact fertility if held directly on the lap by causing sperm damage from the heat rise in the testes.
- Long distance runners can have decreased sperm counts.
- Tight underwear can raise the temperature in the testes, which leads to sperm damage.
Increasing Male Fertility by Re-Thinking Everyday Behaviors
Improving a low sperm count and increasing sperm mobility can be done by modifying behaviors. Thinking about activities that might raise temperature in the testes, even if the activities are generally considered good or healthy, is a positive step.
Source:
British Medical Bulletin, "Lifestyle and environmental contribution to male infertility," Richard M Sharpe, 2000, 56( No 3).
 |
