Many things can contribute to low sperm count, and many people are getting worried about low sperm count. We have listed the top 5 conditions that can contribute to low sperm count. Read more to learn more.
- Overheating your testicles
Your testicles are the factory that produces sperm and semen. However, this sack of balls is very sensitive to cold and hot temperatures. Your balls are literally so sensitive that you may not even be aware that you are roasting them.
Really. For instance, you could be soaking yourself in hot baths too often, and the water is also too hot. You could also be toasting your balls by placing a hot laptop on top of your lap for an extended period of time.
Such habits cause your testicles to be overheated. When this happens, sperm cells that are all-too-fragile get roasted and die in an instant.
Yeah, baby, they are that weak. So, you want to be more cautious about what you put your balls through. Don’t let your crotch get hot and humid for too long or too much. Basically, you need to feel comfortable down there.
An article published on the Nova IVF Fertility website states that, overheating can stem from both internal factors, like a high fever, as well as external factors of an environmental or physiological nature. Engaging in activities such as cooking, grilling, motorcycling, using saunas, and cycling can generate excess heat in the body. Additionally, prolonged usage of laptops and cellphones can also lead to overheating. This heightened temperature may have an impact on sperm count, potentially contributing to lower levels.
- Smoking cigarettes
Whether you consider yourself a light smoker or a heavy smoker, the effects of smoking cigarettes are always bad.
There will always be some kind of unnecessary damage you are doing to your body if you often smoke tobacco. There is practically no scientific evidence on any single benefit of smoking.
If anything, smoking cigarettes is often a leading cause of impotence in younger males.
If impotence sounds scary to you because it indicates the inability to get your penis hard, wait until you also learn that smoking cigarettes lowers your sperm count significantly.
This will make it very hard for you to conceive a baby. And if you suffer from low sperm count and you say your wife is barren, well, you need to really reflect on your unhealthy habits.
The toxicity in cigarettes and how it makes your blood very acidic all contribute to killing your tiny sperm cells!
VerywellFamily reports that several studies report that smoking has been associated with various adverse effects on male fertility. Men who smoke tend to exhibit reduced sperm concentration, decreased sperm motility (the ability of sperm to swim effectively), a lower count of normally shaped sperm, and an increase in sperm DNA damage. These factors collectively contribute to potential fertility issues in male smokers.
- Excessive alcohol consumption
When talking about male fertility—on top of sexual performance—smoking and drinking are often the main part of the discussion.
Smoking and drinking seem to be a large part of the lives of many men, yet at the same time, these are also the biggest contributors to men’s decreased sexual performance.
And if you ever become serious enough to concern yourself with conceiving a baby, excessive consumption of alcohol could just drive that dream further away from you.
This is because alcoholic beverages increase acidity in your blood, which then affects the production of sperm.
Even when your testicles are able to produce sperm, many of these cells can easily be killed by the acidity of your blood. They do indeed die off easily in an acidic environment, including the vagina.
Based on the report published by Your Fertility, excessive alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on male reproductive health. Heavy drinking has been linked to decreased testosterone production, a decline in libido or interest in sex, difficulties in achieving and maintaining erections, and a reduction in sperm quality. The definitions of heavy and risky drinking may vary, but generally, consuming two to four standard drinks per day on average (equivalent to 14-28 drinks spread throughout the week) is considered heavy drinking. Anything beyond four standard drinks in one occasion is considered risky for your overall health and well-being.
So, if you wish to become a father, you need a high sperm count and controlling how much you drink is a good idea.
- Being overweight, like, a lot
Some people might get defensive when their weight is mentioned and then they’ll say they’re healthy in spite of their weight.
However, in reality, many health experts would always advise against being overweight as this comes with a plethora of health issues. One such issue is the low sperm count.
You may be wondering what’s weight got to do with sperm production, but it’s all connected. Understand that the food you eat affects your hormone production which then has a direct impact on sperm production.
The foods you eat regularly, which have contributed to rapid and excessive weight gain, are also taking a toll on the overall function of your organs.
The testicles are no exception. Harvard studies have even found that some 11% of overweight men tend to suffer from low sperm count. Meanwhile, some 39% don’t even have any sperm count in their semen!
- A lack of nutritious eating
On top of lifestyle habits, a lack of nutritious eating can also contribute to a decrease in your sperm count. As mentioned earlier, your body needs sex hormones to produce sperm cells and semen.
Your body can only produce these necessary hormones when it has been fed with vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids. Of course, a diet that is generally balanced should suffice.
But if you’re a person who tends to eat only a few certain types of foods, you may be lacking certain nutrients. This is made even worse if you tend to also eat fast food, junk food, instant food, or even frozen food.
These types of convenient foods are super lacking in nutrition, so if you only can eat them, you need to balance it out by, say, consuming multivitamins.
If you can afford a personal nutritionist, try to get their professional guidance to help return your hormones to balance.
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- Varicocele
This condition affects the testes. It manifests in the swelling of veins that connects the testicle.
This body part is responsible for the manufacture of sperm and testosterone. It’s connected to other organs that support healthy sperm development and movement.
The young sperm usually travel to the epididymis to complete growth after two months. They use these ducts to flow to the coil-shaped organ.
But this condition blockades the tubes draining from the testicles to other areas such as the epididymis and the urethra. The situation prevents the outflow of sperm to complete its maturation.
Besides, this condition also limits the adequate supply of blood and nutrients that nourishes the budding sperm population. Still, the tube restriction causes excessive heating to the area, resulting in increased oxidation levels.
As such, no new sperm matures, while the young ones are cleared via oxidative reaction. Still, varicoceles prevent ejaculation from occurring.
- Medical conditions
Some medical conditions are known to prevent the sperm production process. They affect the pathways essential for sperm factory nourishment and the various organs responsible for its gestation.
Diabetes, spinal injuries, hormone imbalance, and retrograde ejaculation are such conditions. Besides, medical procedures to treat reproductive health conditions and other ailments also contribute to the low sperm situation.
Diabetes is particularly injurious to sperm health. It causes the poor blood supply to the testicles. Again, insulin resistance results in excessive oxidation.
Yet oxidation inhibits excellent sperm development, resulting in poor and low-quality sperm unable to fertilize an egg.
Lack of nutrition and vessel blockage could hinder efficient testosterone secretion. Interventions to boost depleted levels through testosterone replacement therapy may work.
But the artificial testosterone then interferes with the proper functioning of sperm production. This results in low sperm count.
Still, surgical procedures on the thyroid, spinal cord, and prostate also interfere with sperm factory operations. This causes dwindling sperm concentration.
In conclusion, we provided five conditions that might contribute to low sperm count. We hope that the above information can help you understand and identify the things you might be doing wrong that could be resulting in a low sperm count.
SIMILAR QUESTION
Can Masturbating Cause Low Sperm Count?
Introduction
Masturbation is a common and healthy sexual activity that has been around for centuries. It is typically done solo but can also be done with a partner. Many people believe that masturbation can cause a low sperm count, but scientific evidence suggests that this is not true. This paper will discuss the facts about masturbation and sperm count, and explain why masturbation does not cause a low sperm count.
Masturbation and Sperm Count
Masturbation does not directly cause a low sperm count. The only way it could potentially affect sperm count is if a person masturbates frequently and ejaculates frequently. In this case, the amount of sperm ejaculated each time could be less than normal, leading to a lower overall sperm count. However, it is important to note that masturbating frequently does not necessarily mean that a person will have a lower sperm count.
It is also important to note that sperm count is not affected by the type of sexual activity a person engages in. That is, a person who masturbates will not necessarily have a lower sperm count than a person who has intercourse.
The Effects of Excessive Masturbation
If a person masturbates too frequently, there can be negative health effects. These include fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. Excessive masturbation can also lead to a decrease in sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. However, these effects are not caused by a decrease in sperm count, but rather by the physical and mental exhaustion that can result from over-indulging in any activity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, masturbation does not cause a low sperm count. While masturbating frequently could potentially lead to a lower sperm count, this is not necessarily the case. Additionally, the type of sexual activity a person engages in does not affect his sperm count. While excessive masturbation can have negative health effects, these are not caused by a decrease in sperm count, but rather by physical and mental exhaustion. Therefore, masturbation does not cause a low sperm count.
