When trying to get pregnant, many
couples underestimate the importance of healthy sperm.
Male infertility refers to a male's
inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female. In humans it accounts for
40-50% of infertility. It affects approximately 7% of all men. The main cause
of male infertility is low semen quality. In men who have the necessary
reproductive organs to procreate, infertility can be caused by low sperm count.
Women release around 300-400 eggs during their lifetimes, while men
produce millions of sperm each day. However, there are many external factors
that can affect sperm health and since it takes two and a
half months for sperm to mature, if you damage them at any point along the way,
you can render yourself at least temporarily infertile. Today we are going to
explore top proven sperm killers and ways to avoid them:
Overheating
High temperatures—the
reason that the human testes are located external to the body is to keep them
cooler than body temperature. Once the testicles reach 98 degrees Fahrenheit,
sperm production stops. Any time sperm production is interrupted, it can take
months for sperm to rebound. Those at risk includes, but not limited to; bakers, long distant drivers, motorcycle riders etc.
Moist Heat—a
study published back in 2007 found that even spending 30 minutes in a hot tub
or Jacuzzi can cause a temporary reduction in sperm production. These effects
are reversible but can take many months to show improvement.
Fever—long
period of time sickness can have temporarily damaging effect on the sperm so
also is recent illness. A 2003 study showed that sperm concentration can suffer
a decrease of some 35% after a fever. A high fever can actually have the same
effect on sperm as heat damage from saunas or hot tubs. It may take a great
deal of time for sperm to recover.
Laptops—researchers
at State University of New York at Stony Brook found a direct association
between the use of laptops and an increased temperature of the scrotum of up to
around 35 degrees, depending on positioning. The increase in heat has a known
adverse effect on spermatogenesis, so if you're trying to get pregnant, leave
the laptop on your desk.
Radiation
Cell phones —leaving
your cell phone in your pocket could be very well damaging your sperm quality.
Studies have found that when semen is exposed to the radio waves that are
emitted by cell phones, it can cause damage to the quality of the sperm. There
was a study done in 2008 that noted that men who spent the most time on a cell
phone through high cell phone usage leads to lowered sperm counts, quality, motility,
and morphology. It is better to keep
your phone in your briefcase rather than in your pocket, to limit radiation
exposure as most doctors agree that as long as your man doesn’t keep his cell
phone in his front pocket, he should be okay.
Radiation Exposure—high
levels of radiation can also damage your sperm. While this doesn’t usually
apply to men who only have the occasional x-ray, men who are exposed to very
high levels of radiation, as with cancer treatments, might permanently damage
their sperm
Lifestyle
Briefs—they
don't make a tremendous difference, but if you've got a low sperm count, choose
boxers over briefs for best fertility. You don't want to create a constricted
environment for the testes, where sperm production occurs.
Alcohol Use—
Men who drink large amounts of alcohol can do serious damage
to their fertility. Men who drink more than four drinks per day can lower their
sperm counts severely. Plus, since alcohol damages the liver, men who drink a
lot can have higher levels of estrogen, which in turn will stop sperm from
being produced.
Obesity—obese
men have reduced testicular function and lowered sperm counts according to one
2009 study carried out by the World Health Organization. Obesity is one of the
most common causes of problems with sperm. Obese men who are otherwise fertile
have significantly lower sperm counts than men who are a healthy weight. Keep
this in mind, since obesity in women is known to lower fertility as well.
Bad Diet—this
one is sort of linked to obesity, but not always. If a man only eats
junk food and unhealthy stuff, his body won’t be able to make healthy sperm. Harvard School of Public Health researchers interviewed men
visiting a fertility clinic and found that those who ate just one piece of
sausage or slice of bacon a day saw a 30 percent decrease in normal
sperm, and their sperm was more likely to be misshaped and puny.
On the flipside, men who ate fish and laid off the processed meat tended to have much healthier sperm quality as the body needs certain
vitamins and nutrients in order to produce healthy sperm. Eating a healthy and well balanced diet is key to healthy fertility. Also many researchers believe the biggest source of BPA contamination comes
through food packaging. Sure, canned food is convenient, but almost all
of those metal cans are coated with a BPA resin, which migrates into the
food. Acidic canned products, such as tomato paste or sauces, are
particularly saturated with BPA. Protect yourself choose fresh or frozen food instead
of canned whenever possible, and buy foods like pasta sauce in glass
jars rather than in cans.
Hidden suagar—sugar
is hidden in almost every type of processed food you can find under your roof, these
sugars are likely killing your sperm count. University of Utah researchers
found that when they fed mice sugar similar to what the average American eats
daily, they were 25 less likely to successfully reproduce. Interestingly, the
mice generally didn't get fat or show signs of high blood pressure, but were
more likely to die and have fewer babies. Hidden sugars are doing all types of
horrible things to your body. Don't exceed the American Heart Association's
recommended sugar levels, which are 5 teaspoons for women (20 grams); 9
teaspoons for men (36 grams); and 3 teaspoons (12 grams) for children. For
reference, a can of soda generally contains up to 12 grams of sugar; a single
slice of whole wheat bread contains up to 2 teaspoons of hidden sugars.
Chemical-Laced Produce—pesticides
are designed to kill pests. Unfortunately, chemical pesticides don't see much
difference between your precious seed and a hornworm. It's helpful to always
wash your produce, but pesticides aren't just on food, they're in the food,
too. So eat organic whenever possible, and start planning an organic garden. Be
sure to avoid non-organic produce on the dirty dozen lists.
Smoking—smoking
has so many different bad effects, and the bad effects on sperm are just one of
them. The toxins in tobacco cause the sperm to swim very slowly, and can damage
the makeup of the sperm as well. There have even been studies that show that if
a woman smokes during early pregnancy, it can damage her SON’S sperm later in
life. 
Drug Use—
If a man smokes marijuana or uses other illegal drugs, he
should know that his sperm levels might be compromised. The THC in marijuana
can cause sperm counts to fall. There are other negative effects of using drugs
as well, of course, and sperm health should just be one reason to stay away from them.
Sex
Toys—dildos, vibrators,
and male pleasure devices are made of vinyl. This type of plastic unleashes
phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals linked to cancer, allergies, birth
defects, and infertility. Safely spice up your sex life by investing in green
foreplay products made of high-quality medical silicone, such as the We-Vibe.
For non-plastic pleasure, try a glass dildo.
Shower products—phthalates
are also in scented soaps, shampoos, and cleaners, and in vinyl shower
curtains. (Ever noticed those things can give you a headache when you first
hang them up?) And the heat from your shower makes it easier for the chemicals
to be released. Always choose a simple soap-and-shampoo-in-one, such as
plant-based products. Avoid personal-care products that have a fragrance or
scent. And invest in a long-lasting hemp shower curtain instead of buying vinyl
curtains every month or two.
Testosterone Imbalance—too much testosterone in the body can be a problem for sperm. Many men take testosterone supplements to enhance libido, build muscle, etc, but it can also damage sperm. Too much testosterone can actually shut down the pituitary gland, which controls sperm production. On the contrary, if a man has too little testosterone in his body, that can also hinder production of sperm as well. Testosterone is a very fine balancing act, and having too much or too little can hurt sperm count.
Cash Register Receipts—think of how many times a day someone slips a cash-register receipt into your hand. The problem is, about 40 percent of receipts today are coated with the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to fertility problems and heart disease. A new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility just discovered that men with higher BPA levels in their urine experienced low sperm counts and lower sperm quality than men with lower levels. While there's no direct evidence linking receipt handling to infertility, why take chances? Until electronic receipts become commonplace, say you don't want a receipt at the point of purchase. If you do need one, store it in an envelope or folder, not in a pocket or in the wallet you're constantly breaking open. Keep receipts out of the recycling bin, too; their BPA can contaminate water and recycled-paper products.
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