Unhealthy habits can deteriorate a person’s physical, mental, and reproductive health. If you’re a man, you should know that unhealthy habits might kill your sperm. We have found 5 unhealthy habits that may kill your sperm.
- Smoking
It may have been fully accepted that people smoke like a chimney back in the 1940s, but now we all know better than to indulge in this destructive habit.
Smoking cigarettes poses no health benefit whatsoever and it adds to the destruction of your sperm health. Fertility in men who regularly smoke cigarettes is not great and it tends to be very low, indeed.
Smoking is bad for health in general, so it should come as no surprise that it is also bad for your sperm cells.
There are tons of toxins in a single cigarette and when you allow all of that to be ingested and digested by your body, all of those toxins will only damage your cells and mess up your hormones.
Smoking cigarettes in itself increases your ROS (reactive oxygen species) and this can damage your DNA as well as sperm cells, effectively reducing your fertility rate.
- Leaving out your veggies
Are you one of those people who still can’t enjoy their veg at this age? This is definitely a bad habit as leaving out your veg tends to mean that your body is undernourished with potent vitamins and minerals.
According to an article on the Healthline publication, eating vegetables helps protect sperm health.
Vegetables contain vitamins B12 that helps to improve erectile functions. Besides, they are rich in L-arginine which relaxes muscles, increase sperm production, and reduces inflammation.
Of course, eating meat in itself is considered healthy, especially when talking about proteins, but other nutrients still need to be obtained from fruits and veggies.
If you’re wondering what those nutrients have got to do with your sperm cells, well, they help with sperm and semen production.
Sperm cells need to be coated with enough semen to make their way to the egg, so if you are lacking semen, this could also mean that your fertility rate is in a decrease.
Meanwhile, your sperm cells also need protection from harmful substances that can coexist in the body. A lack of antioxidants can also make your sperm health come into decline (you can’t get antioxidants from meats). Thus avoiding veges eliminate all these gains.
- Regular barbecuing
Many people are really passionate about their BBQ and would even dedicate weekends to just enjoying good meat dishes.
But although this social occasion may be seen as harmless at first glance, overindulgence in barbecuing could prove lethal for your health. Barbecued meats typically come with chars on their bodies.
Chars contain substances that are called HCAs or heterocyclic amines and they can be cancer-inducing. On top of this ability to cause cancer, HCAs can also wreak havoc in your hormonal system.
When your body is out of balance in terms of hormone production, your sperm health is going to be negatively affected.
Generally speaking, we understand that a lack of testosterone will cause a decrease in the production of sperm cells.
However, the fact that HCAs are polluting your body also means the sperm cells are easily killed off by these external pollutants. Try to reduce your consumption of red meats for a healthier life.
- Excessive drinking
It goes without saying that excessive drinking in itself is already a bad habit. However, you need to know why, right?
An article titled “Does Alcohol Kill Sperm? And Other Fertility Facts,” seem to support this notion.
The Healthline publication states that heavy drinking, exceeding five drinks per week, has negative effects on sperm.
Drinking lowers testosterone production, alters sperm shape, and decreases sperm concentration. Harmful alcoholic ingredients lower sperm quality and disintegrate sperm’s DNA structure.
Well, aside from the usual intoxication that could make you do absolutely stupid (and dangerous) things, excess alcohol consumption could also hurt the health of your sperm cells.
Alcohol makes your body very hot and your bloodstream acidic. As you should know, high temperatures, as well as acidity, are not good friends of sperm cells.
Such a condition easily kills off sperm cells or damages their form, making fertilisation almost impossible.
On top of that, excessive alcohol consumption also can damage arteries and blood flow, thus making it hard for your testicles to produce enough sperm cells.
Excess drinking can typically also lower your testosterone level, also effectively affecting your ability to produce quality sperm. Low-quality sperm cells tend to be weak and this makes it impossible to survive in the vagina.
- Using steroids or testosterone hormone replacement
Okay, so some men are into the use of steroids. Of course, steroids can help with whatever physical gains you desire.
Some men even use testosterone hormone replacement to increase their gymnastic prowess or simply, the way they perform in the bedroom.
But there is also a downside to using steroids: a decrease in the quality and production of your sperm cells. Steroids are a hormone replacement and they can’t help your testicles to produce more sperm cells.
The sad truth is that this kind of drug really impairs your body’s ability to produce sperm, and even when it does so, the quality of the sperm cells is so bad that you are unlikely to remain fertile.
However, in most cases, the effect of the impairment can be reversed, although in some other men the damage may have been so bad that infertility becomes permanent.
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- Sweetened and carbonated drinks
Compared to alcoholic beverages, taking canned and bottled drinks seem much healthier. After all, you are not poisoning your liver and stomach with the hard stuff.
Sweetened and carbonated drinks are available everywhere. You can take as many as you want since there are no restrictions.
And here lays the real risk. Continued drinking of these fizzy drinks is bad for your reproductive health.
As per a publication on PubMed Central website, sugar-sweetened beverages damage sperm health.
An assessment of the diet habits of 189 young men at the University of Rochester found that those who took more than one can of sugar sweetened drinks have a 9.8% lower progressive sperm motility.
Drinking more than a can of this drink daily affects your sperm health. Carbonate drinks are full of sugar as preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors.
Excess sugar, whichever the source, is bad for your sperm. Research confirms that taking sugar-sweetened and sugary beverages is directly linked to lower sperm motility.
A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology states that consuming just 1 liter of carbonated drink daily resulted in reduced sperm concentration and lower total sperm count.
It confirms that these men were 33% less likely to impregnate their partners when compared to those men who didn’t take such drinks.
- Use of electronic
Modern lifestyle dictates that you use smartphones and laptops all the time. But did you know that the seemingly harmless handling of these gadgets could contribute to your sperm’s death?
Have you ever questioned where you place your smartphone when not using it? It’s always safe to keep it in your front trouser pocket. This ensures that you can’t get robbed. Still, you can hear it ring.
But this storage place is too close to your sperm bank. And the phone is always emitting radiation as it searches for networks while doing background archiving.
The harmful rays, however, heat the scrotum, resulting in less sperm. Studies indicate that stashing phones here reduce sperm volume by 9%.
The same effects are produced by placing laptops on your lap. The heat generates fries your sperm, killing and distorting their structures. Poor sperm health lowers sperm motility and prevents conception.
In conclusion, we have discussed five unhealthy habits that could affect or kill your sperm. We hope that the unhealthy habits mentioned above can help you decide what is better for your health and what is not.
SIMILAR QUESTION
What Makes A Man Sperm Unhealthy?
Introduction
Sperm health is a measure of the ability of a man’s sperm to fertilize an egg and to cause a pregnancy. Healthy sperm is essential for conception and for a healthy baby. Unfortunately, many men have unhealthy sperm, which can lead to fertility problems and difficulty conceiving. In this paper, we will discuss what makes a man’s sperm unhealthy and what can be done to improve sperm health.
Causes of Unhealthy Sperm
There are a number of factors that can contribute to unhealthy sperm. One of the most common is lifestyle choices. Heavy alcohol consumption, smoking, and drug use can all negatively affect sperm health. Additionally, environmental factors such as exposure to certain chemicals and radiation can also have an impact.
Poor diet can also lead to unhealthy sperm. Eating a diet that is high in processed foods, saturated fats, and sugars can negatively affect sperm health. On the other hand, eating a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins can help improve sperm health.
In addition, certain medical conditions can lead to unhealthy sperm. These include infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and hormonal imbalances. In some cases, genetics or age can also play a role.
Improvements to Sperm Health
Fortunately, there are a number of measures that can be taken to improve sperm health. The first and most important step is to make lifestyle changes. Quitting smoking and minimizing alcohol consumption are essential for improving sperm health. Additionally, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet can also help.
In addition, men should be aware of any environmental factors that may be affecting sperm health. This includes avoiding exposure to chemicals and radiation, as well as wearing protective gear in certain situations.
Finally, men should be aware of any medical conditions that may be affecting sperm health. If an infection or hormonal imbalance is present, it is important to seek medical treatment. In some cases, medications or treatments may be necessary to improve sperm health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a number of factors that can make a man’s sperm unhealthy. Lifestyle choices, environmental factors, and medical conditions can all have an impact. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to improve sperm health, including making lifestyle changes, avoiding environmental hazards, and seeking treatment for medical conditions. By understanding the causes of unhealthy sperm and taking the necessary steps to improve sperm health, men can increase their chances of conception and having a healthy baby.
