Infertility is a complicated reproductive issue, and while there is a general belief that the female gender is more troubled with infertility issues, this is not precisely correct. Men too suffer from infertility problems, one of them being low sperm count. In this particular infertility problem, during ejaculation, there is less than average number of sperms in the semen. Now, there are two types of low sperm count. If your semen still contains sperm but in a lower amount than the normal, this condition is known as Oligospermia. On other sides, the complete absence of sperm in semen is called Azoospermia. Whatever sort of low sperm count it may be, there are specific causes present behind them. One major cause involves lifestyle factors. The question begs: What are some of the lifestyle factors that lead to low sperm counts?
In this blog, we give you an overview of low sperm count, including 10 common lifestyle factors that contribute to a low sperm count. That said, let's dive in!
As mentioned earlier, a low sperm count is one of the reproductive conditions where the number of sperm in the semen is less than the standard number. There are two main types of low sperm count.
Needless to say, regardless of whether you have Oligospermia or Azoospermia, your reproductive capacity drastically decreases. That said, unless you have Azoospermia, you can still become a father to your child.
After discussing what a low sperm count is, let's now discuss some of the key causes of low sperm count. For the context of this content, we shall primarily focus on lifestyle factors contributing to low sperm counts. So, keeping this in mind, let’s discuss 10 Common lifestyle factors contributing to low sperm counts.
One of the key lifestyle factors leading to low sperm count is the use of drugs. As you can guess, drug use disrupts the natural hormone balance in the body. This form of hormonal imbalance can lead to a significant decrease in sperm production. Furthermore, recreational drugs such as cocaine and marijuana also impair sperm health, reducing both the quality and quantity of the sperm. Overuse of any form of drugs can interfere with normal sperm function and reduce the likelihood of fertilization.
The cause of low sperm count is not just limited to the use of drugs. Regular indulgence of alcohol can also lead to a decrease in sperm quantity and quality of sperm. This is because alcohol consumption is associated with the lowering of testosterone levels, which is an essential hormone in the production of sperm. Over the long term, indulgence in alcohol can lead to testicular atrophy, which can permanently damage sperm production, lowering the overall production of sperm.
It is not just the consumption of alcohol and drugs that affects the overall sperm quality. Specific jobs that require long-term sitting and/or exposure to the sun can also decrease overall sperm production. A long period of sitting increases the temperature in the scrotum, which reduces sperm production. We can say the same for jobs that expose the body to the sun, as extended exposure to the sun increases the temperature in the scrotum, which further decreases overall sperm production. Additionally, jobs that expose you to heavy metals and chemicals also negatively affect sperm quality and count.
Smoking is injurious to all aspects of health, including reproductive health as well. The smoke from tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars contains harmful substances such as nicotine and carbon monoxide. These chemicals reduce the number of sperm produced. Furthermore, the damage of smoking is not just limited to the quantity of sperm either. It also affects the chromosomes in the produced sperm, which further impacts the ability of a sperm to fertilize. Additionally, the chemicals in tobacco smoking also affect the shape of the existing sperms, further decreasing fertility.
Learn More: Smoking and Infertility: The Infertility Risks Linked to Smoking
Similar to smoking, emotional stress impacts every aspect of health, including reproductive health. Emotional stress, be it anxiety, anger, or depression, disrupts the hormonal balance within the body. This disruption often includes reproductive hormones, which further lowers sperm production within the body. Additionally, stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, lack of sleep, and substance abuse, which can further deepen fertility issues.
Let’s be honest here: depression, although common, is one of the underrated mental disorders. These seemingly common mental disorders can directly lead to unhealthy habits such as excess consumption of smoking, alcohol, and recreational drugs, directly leading to a drop in sperm production. Furthermore, it also affects sexual function, such as decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, all of which can further decrease sperm production and lower fertility. On top of all these, depression also affects hormone levels, especially testosterone, which plays a key role in sperm production. This trifecta of effects all lead to lower sperm production and low fertility.
Just like depression, weight is another underestimated factor in reproduction. Obesity is strongly linked to low fertility in men because it favors changes in hormone levels, increasing levels of estrogen and lowering levels of testosterone. Fat, particularly around the abdomen, contributes to the hormonal imbalance that could lead to impaired sperm production. Moreover, obesity is marked with an increase in the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation-both factors are capable of inducing damage to sperm DNA, hence reducing its motility and viability, hence decreasing the fertility rate further. It is not only obesity that impacts this low count of sperm; overweight conditions are also one of the contributing factors influencing sperm count.
Being underweight limits the energy in the body. When this happens, all your energy is directed towards keeping the basic functions running, and none is spared for sperm production, leading to a decrease in sperm production.
Diet is another one of the key lifestyle choices that can lead to low sperm count. If you consume unhealthy foods, you can easily become over or underweight. As we discussed previously, both of these can result in low sperm production. Furthermore, if you have a poor diet that lacks nutrients such as zinc, selenium, and Vitamin C, it can impair sperm production. If you consume an excess of highly processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, you may also experience reduced sperm motility and concentration.
It’s not just diet that affects your sperm quantity; you must also exercise regularly. Lack of exercise can easily lead to weight gain and obesity.All these factors have adverse effects on sperm production. Routine exercises maintain the testosterone level and blood circulation, even to the reproductive organs, promote normal sperm production. However, excessive heavy exercises, especially without proper rest, can reduce sperm count; therefore, this should be in balance to achieve optimum fertility.
Sleep is an underrated part of your body's health. This means that you should pay as much attention to your sleep as dieting and exercising. Poor quality sleeping, as well as certain sleeping disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, may serve to have negative effects on hormonal balance and fertility. Sleep plays a part in the production of testosterone and other hormones that create sperm. Moreover, it can lead to an increase in chronic sleep deprivation, which may contribute to increased levels of stress and obesity as well. All these factors affect sperm production negatively.
These are just 10 of the lifestyle factors that lead to low sperm counts. Besides the ones we mentioned here, there are other causes that can lead to low sperm count. But we hope you understood the overall gist regarding the lifestyle factors that lead to low sperm count.
After discussing the lifestyle factors contributing to low sperm count, let's now discuss some of the key signs and symptoms of low sperm count. Some of the key signs and symptoms that signify low sperm count include:
These are just some of the symptoms that you can see when you have a low sperm count in your semen. Of course, the best way to know if you have a low sperm count is to seek a reproductive specialist. Regardless, keeping note of these symptoms does let you know when to see a specialist. If you see a combination of these symptoms, especially the ones directly associated with your reproductive organs, you should seek a reproductive specialist for expert opinion.
Now that you know the general signs and symptoms of low sperm count, you may want to know the treatment options. The good news here is that there are many treatment options for low sperm count. Some of the popular treatment options include:
If your low sperm count involves large varicoceles, blockages, or issues with sperm leaving the body, surgery is a good option for you. In circumstances such as this, surgery removes the blockages and ensures that the sperm flows freely from your body. In some other surgeries, the sperm is directly retrieved from the testicles or epididymis for processes such as IVF and ICSI.
Alongside surgeries, medication is another effective way to increase the overall sperm count. This is especially true if the issue is caused by infections. As long as there is no permanent tissue damage, medications can help alleviate the symptoms and enhance the production of sperm.
Alongside medications, counseling is an effective way of increasing sperm production, especially if the issue is associated with mental disorders, stress, and performance anxiety. Issues with intercourse, such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, are often solved using medication and counseling.
As you should know by now, hormonal imbalances are among the top causes of low sperm count. For issues associated with hormones, hormonal treatments are an effective way to cure low sperm count. It addresses issues such as improper testosterone and other hormones.
If your low sperm count is caused by bad lifestyle choices like the ones we mentioned here, lifestyle modifications are among the best ways to cure low sperm count. While it can take a while, if you improve your lifestyle and take the aid of medications along with therapy, you can increase your overall sperm count.
These are just some of the ways you can improve your overall sperm count. Besides the ones we mentioned here, there can be several other cures depending on the specifics of your circumstances.
Besides the medical treatments, there are other ways to improve sperm count and quality. Some of these methods include:
One of the best ways to improve sperm count and quality is to consume and maintain a healthy diet. For this, you can consume foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can find these nutrients in foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and whole grains.
Engaging in regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and can improve hormonal balance, which positively affects sperm production. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week.
Alongside food and exercise, you should also manage stress to enhance sperm production. For this, you can engage in activities such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing, which aids you in managing your overall stress levels.
While drinking, smoking, and using drugs may help you get away from stress for a while, they are harmful to you in the end. Therefore, you should limit alcohol, drugs, and smoking. The option is to quit all of these substances, but it can be a bit hard to quit. So the minimum you can do is limit their consumption for the immediate effect and quit them slowly.
As we discussed prior, being both under and overweight is harmful to your reproductive health. Therefore, you should maintain a healthy weight. To do this, you can exercise adequately and eat healthily. Furthermore, you should also stay hydrated.
Although avoiding excess heat may sound somewhat redundant if taken out of context, if you have read till this point, you should already be aware that heat in the scrotum area can lower sperm production. Therefore, you should avoid excess heat around your lap area whenever possible.
These are some of the best ways to improve the production of sperm naturally. Besides the ones we mentioned here, you can also take medications after consulting with a reproductive expert.
Infertility is a major problem that affects both males and females. Among many aspects of infertility for men, one of the key aspects is low sperm count in the semen. You can be considered to have a low sperm count if you have less than 15 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen. Now, there are several causes of low sperm count, including but not limited to drug use, alcohol use and overheated scrotum. The good news here is that there are effective and efficient cures for this problem.
In this blog, we provide you with an overview of what a low sperm count is, 10 common lifestyle factors contributing to low sperm counts, some signs of low sperm count, and treatment options for low sperm count. We hope you found this helpful. If you want further insights into the various aspects of infertility, do check out some of our other blogs. And if you seek the best treatment for low sperm count, look no further than Hardik IVF and Fertility Center. Thank you for reading till the end.
Low sperm count decreases the chances of successful fertilization of the gg. Severe conditions may also affect infertility. Low sperm count further indicates several underlying health conditions, including hormonal imbalance, genetic disorders, and disorders of the reproductive organs.
Some of the foods which increase sperm count include:
There are multiple ways to fix low sperm count. Some of the common ways include:
No, masturbation does not cause low sperm count. Although frequent ejaculation through masturbation does lower the sperm count on a short-term basis, the body quickly replenishes the sperm reserves, making up for the sperm lost during masturbation.
Yes, weed does lower sperm count as the active compound in weed, THC, can disrupt the hormonal imbalance required for the normal production of sperm. Furthermore, it can also lead to damaged sperm morphology as well.
There are several symptoms you can look out for when determining if you have a low sperm count or not. Some of the key symptoms of low sperm count include:
Yes, it does. High intake of alcohol lowers the levels of testosterone, which are very important in the production of sperm. This may lead to a reduction in sperm count, its quality, and motility once consumed for a long period. Alcohol disrupts liver function and hormonal balance and might dampen fertility. A reduction in intake would improve reproductive health.
Yes, low testosterone can be one of the causes of low sperm count. Testosterone is very essential in the production of sperms, and if it goes below a certain level, the process of spermatogenesis is disrupted, in which the formation of sperms is included. As a matter of fact, this results in reduced sperm count.
A low sperm count can get a woman pregnant, although the chances are reduced. This is especially so if other aspects of sperm health are normal, for example, motility and morphology of sperm.