Men, One Or More Of These May Be The Culprit If You Are Shooting Blanks

Sperm count, which is the total number of sperm present in one sample of semen, is used as a yardstick to determine fertility in men. Sperm count, Based on World Health Organization Guideline (WHO), greater than 15 million per mL is considered normal and fertile while sperm count lower than 10 million per mL is considered abnormal and infertile.

One of the biggest stories making the news and becoming a serious concern among many folks all over the world today is the Low sperm count. This is because of the many problems that it can cause such as unsatisfactory partnership/marriage, in addition to decreasing the chance of fatherhood.

Studies revealed that the number of men running out of sperm is rapidly and continuously increasing. But fortunately, many folks are now seeking treatments, and these treatments would vary depending on the cause of the condition.

The causes of such a condition, which seems to have detrimental effects on men and even to women, may fall into the following categories:

Lifestyle and Health

Men’s health and lifestyle play a part in experiencing low sperm count. The causes for this may include the following:

• Drug Use-There are drugs that when taken can cause men’s testicles to shrink and decrease sperm production.
• Alcohol Use-Drinking excessive alcohol can lower level of testosterone and decrease sperm production.
• Occupation-There are certain occupations that may be linked with the risk of infertility. These occupations might include welding, truck driving and even activities like prolonged sitting.
• Smoking-men who smoke are prone to experience and suffer from low sperm count
• Emotional stress-Prolonged or severe emotional stress can interfere with the hormones needed in sperm production
• Depression-Suffering from depression can also affect sperm concentration
• Plastics-The frequent use of plastic, especially as microwaveable tools, is said to cause low sperm counts

Obesity

Many individuals are aware that obesity, which is the cause of many health problems, is now on the rise and this affects sperm quality and production. Obesity also increases the risks of mortality and morbidity and can affect offsprings as well. Obesity can impair fertility in many different ways which include impacting the sperm directly and causing hormonal changes which could reduce fertility in men.

Boxers versus Briefs

After periods of conflicting studies and controversies, it has been found that men who wear boxer shorts have higher sperm count than those who wear tight briefs. Men who wear boxers have lower Follicle Stimulating Hormone or FSH levels. This indicates a healthier and better environment for sperm production.

Environmental Causes

Sperm function or production is also likely to be affected by overexposure to the following environmental elements:

• Industrial chemicals-prolonged exposure to toluene, pesticides, herbicides, painting materials, solvents and more can contribute to lower sperm count in men.
• Heavy exposure to metal-this can also result in infertility
• X-rays and radiation-radiation exposure can decrease sperm production. It could take several years for the sperm production to get back to normal. With higher levels of exposure, production of sperm can be reduced permanently.

Medical Causes

Certain medical conditions can also give rise to low sperm count. Some of these conditions are listed below:

• Ejaculation problems
• Infections
• Hormone imbalances
• Tumor
• Tubule defects
• Celiac disease
• Prior surgeries

One will be able to adopt ways to avoid the causes of low sperm count if one takes the time to know the causes of low sperm count. Many folks would agree that having a high sperm count is vital for living a happy, longer and healthy life, and for this reason, must take the necessary steps to stay away from things and activities, especially those listed above, which could trigger low sperm count.

Treatment:

Many treatments methods abound from natural to medical prescriptions, for example:

• Exercise and sleep have been shown to improve sperm count.
• Reduce stress
• Try non-pharmacologic remedies.
• Smoking has long been known to reduce overall health, sperm production, and quality.
• Men with very low sperm counts may be prescribed medication
  • Black seed (nigella sativa)
  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Folic acid
  • Horse chestnut (aescin)
  • L-carnitine
  • Panax ginseng
  • Zinc

More details on these treatments can be found in the references listed below:

What are the best ways to increase sperm count?

Low sperm count: diagnoses and treatment

-- ZylaCourtney - 15 Jan 2019