Many things and lifestyle factors play a major role in decreasing or increasing sperm count and mobility. Smoking is one of the lifestyle choices that can negatively affect men’s physical health, such as male fertility, sperm morphology, and sperm count.
Smoking is harmful to your health. People have taken to smoking marijuana of last through. At least, marijuana can be used for medical purposes but on the other hand, tobacco cannot.
Therefore, you should stop smoking cigarettes if you wish to improve your reproductive health in general.
Truth be told, smoking damages the sperms and this makes them less likely to fertilize eggs. To increase your sperm count, you should avoid smoking.
Smoking is a leading factor in male infertility. Yet, fertility begin with have quality and consistent sex for some time resulting in ejaculation.
Harmful chemicals brought to the body by smoking prevents erection in the first place. These harsh residues damage the blood vessels.
They destroy the inner lining of the blood paths heading to the penis. Hence blood flow to the male member is hampered.
To get erection though, you need an elevated blood supply to the penis.
In addition, smoking destroys the fetus. Hence the embryos created from such sperms have very small chances of survival.
These findings were from a study conducted on 53 chain smokers and 63 nonsmokers. In addition, previous studies have shown that men who smoke tend to be less fertile than the ones who don’t smoke.
Why?
The human sperm cell carries two tiny highly charged proteins which are known as protamine 1 and protamine 2. Naturally, these two proteins exist in a balanced relationship i.e. a ratio of 1:1.
However, it was found that in smokers the sperm cells tend to carry more of protamine 1 than protamine 2. This imbalance makes the sperms very vulnerable to DNA damage.
In such a situation, the smoke inhalation infuses bad chemical into the system. These include nicotine, carbon monoxide, cadmium and others.
These chemicals reach the male reproductive ducts and alter the anti-oxidation concentration and properties. Still, they causes elevated ROS generation
Seminal zinc volume is significantly lower in smokers’ semen. This mineral is vital for the prevention of sperm DNA fragmentation.
Thus DNA of sperms from smokers tend to miss an alphabet and unfortunately, this cannot be repaired. Such sperms will not be able to fertilize an egg.
Smoking effects on the sperm DNA could be moderate to severe. When it’s severe, a vast majority of the sperm cells die.
And when it’s moderate, repairs happen. The process is slow and cell-cycle is delayed as recovery happens.
The repairs sperm could try to fertilize the egg. In slim situation where fertilization successfully takes place, there is a high chance that a miscarriage will happen.
This is because sperms damaged from smoking don’t have the ability to fight off destructive oxygen molecules present in the seminal fluid. Smoke-induced toxins will have already present in such an environment.
Even when the embryo grows to term, smoking could affect neurological and neurovascular complication for the new child. It could cause vascular dementia, or motor deficiency.
In addition to this, smoking is known to increase the concentration of free oxygen radicals in the seminal fluid. It compounds the concentration of free radical causing oxidation on the sperm.
These free radicals may also cause sperm DNA to fragment and also interfere with sperm motility and fertilization.
It has also been found that men who have fertility problems tend to have higher levels of radicals than normal men. Therefore, both men and women should stop smoking cigarettes especially if they have fertility problems.
If a couple is trying to conceive, it should stop to smoke three months prior to the time they wish to conceive. This is because sperms need at least this period of time to be developed from germ cell to a full sperm.
What is the best way forward?
Even if you are you are not looking forward to start a family, you should quit smoking. Nicotine also acts as stimulant and a depressant to the central nervous system.
As stated above the oxygen radicals are the ones that damage the sperms. Therefore, by using anti-oxidants can do no harm but they may provide some marginal benefit.
Some of the best antioxidants include vitamin C and vitamin E. But the gain arising from using these vitamins are only effective when you have stopped smoking.
In each and every couple, smoking will always affect both the male and female. If either of the two is smoking, the other will smoke indirectly from what the other partner exhales.
Smoking
I know that if you are an addict to smoking you might find it hard to quit but this might be one of the best sacrifices for you to make if you wish to be a parent.
In most countries, it is legal to smoke tobacco hence it can be found readily at local shops. This means that you are the one who is supposed to control your addiction. If you are a nonsmoker, please remain that way.
Ask Us Questions Related To Things You Can Do/Avoid In Order To Increase Your Sperm Count: Stop Smoking Period
Why avoid smoking?
Smoking has been cited as a cause of several health problems. These problems involve both the circulatory and respiratory systems. The issue here is the fact that your sexual health largely relies on these systems to function properly. For instance, without good blood flow and blood pressure, a man could have problems with having an erection and/or maintaining it. Also, a fault in the respiratory system could lead to discomfort which could in turn cause sexual health problems.
What can we do instead of smoking?
Quitting smoking could be quite hard especially when your surroundings influence it. However, you can avoid smoking by finding something in place of it instead. One thing you can do is find alternatives to smoking such as chewing gums, chewing sticks, taking some sweets, etc. However, that won’t be enough. You’ll need to dissociate yourself from anything that encourages you to smoke. For instance, you can choose to avoid friends who smoke, avoid going to the environment associated with smoking such as cigarette shops, bars, clubs, etc. You might need to let your friends know that you’re quitting your old bad habit for good.
Should I avoid smoking absolutely?
Yes. If your sexual health is a concern, then quitting smoking absolutely should be a compulsory option that you must take. Since smoking is a habit to you, it takes a lot of willingness to reverse it.
I smoke and drink a lot, should I avoid smoking and continue drinking?
No. Excessive drinking is not a good option for you. Also, swapping smoking for drinking is not a good idea as both are known causes of sexual health problems. If you smoke and drink a lot, that could prove very dangerous for your health and you need to quit both.
How about vaping, is it better than smoking cigarettes?
All forms of smoking are bad even the recent e-cigarettes. There have been several cases that prove the dangers of e-cigarettes. Always avoid them at all costs.
SIMILAR QUESTION
How Can I Increase My Sperm Count After Smoking?
Smoking is a well-known risk factor for male fertility, as it has been linked to decreased sperm count and quality. While it is impossible to undo the damage caused by smoking, there are steps that men can take to increase their sperm count after smoking. This paper will discuss the ways men can increase their sperm count after smoking, including lifestyle changes, nutritional and herbal supplements, and medical treatments.
Lifestyle Changes
The first step in increasing sperm count after smoking is to quit smoking. Smoking has been linked to a number of negative health outcomes, including an increased risk of infertility. Quitting smoking can improve overall health and fertility, and is a necessary step in increasing sperm count.
In addition to quitting smoking, men should make lifestyle changes to increase their sperm count. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can improve sperm health and count. Exercising regularly and eating a nutritious diet can improve overall health, which in turn can lead to an increase in sperm count.
Nutritional and Herbal Supplements
Nutritional and herbal supplements can also help increase sperm count after smoking. Vitamins and minerals, such as zinc and selenium, have been linked to improved sperm health. Supplements containing amino acids, such as L-Carnitine, have also been shown to increase sperm count and motility. Herbal supplements, such as maca root, have also been linked to improved sperm count.
Medical Treatments
If lifestyle changes and supplements are not effective, medical treatments can be used to increase sperm count after smoking. Hormone therapy, such as testosterone replacement therapy, can be used to increase sperm production. Additionally, fertility treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) can help men with low sperm count to conceive.
Conclusion
Smoking can lead to decreased sperm count and quality, which can lead to difficulty conceiving. While it is impossible to undo the damage caused by smoking, there are steps men can take to increase their sperm count after smoking. These steps include lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and exercising regularly, as well as nutritional and herbal supplements. If lifestyle changes and supplements are not effective, medical treatments such as hormone therapy and fertility treatments can help increase sperm count.
