Prior to now, it was popularly believed that
infertility is something that affects the woman
alone. However, reality has shown to us now
that the man is also a culprit especially if he
cannot produce healthy, motile, and normal
sperm cells.
It is an established fact that conception is a
complex process involving the man’s sperm and
the woman’s egg. It is also a reality that only
one sperm is needed to fertilize the egg of a
woman despite the fact that millions are released
in a single ejaculate.
Today, a lot of things affect sperm production in
men and the statistics have reflected a
correlation between our lifestyle changes and
the declining state recorded in producing healthy
sperm cells.
Drugs (both legal and illegal), alcohol and
tobacco can all reduce the health of your sperm
and the likelihood that you and your partner will
conceive. Avoiding these substances so that the
body can detox when preparing for pregnancy,
will help ensure the sperm you produce are
optimally healthy. This will increase your
chances of conception, and ensure that the
pregnancy gets off to the healthiest start
possible.
Smoking reduces your fertility by affecting the
concentration, motility and shape of your sperm.
On average, men who smoke have a lower
concentration of sperm in their semen. In
addition their semen contains a higher
concentration of sperm which are immobile
(unable to swim) and abnormally shaped.
Because of their shape, these sperm may be
immobile, but even if they can swim properly,
they will have a harder time trying to penetrate
and fertilize an egg, compared to normally
shaped sperm. There is also some evidence that
smoking reduces the quality of DNA in a man’s
sperm, and that this may in turn make the
children of fathers who smoke around the time of
conception, more susceptible to some conditions
like childhood cancer.
Alcohol affects the health of dads’ sperm by
influencing the function of the cells in the testes
which produce testosterone and those which are
regulated by testosterone to produce sperm. In
the long term, heavy drinking has been shown to
reduce fertility in men. Those who drink
excessively ejaculate a smaller quantity of
semen each time, and their semen contains a
lower number of sperm compared to men who do
not drink heavily. The sperm of heavy drinkers
are also less motile.
Recreational drugs have an adverse effect on a
man’s fertility and should be avoided in general
but particularly whilst you are trying to conceive.
Marijuana and cocaine impair sperm production
by affecting the cells in the testes which produce
sperm. Heavy marijuana users have lower
concentrations of sperm, which may take 2-3
months to recover when the man stops using
marijuana. Marijuana also reduces testosterone
levels which can impair sperm production.
Similarly, cocaine use lowers the concentration
of sperm in the semen. It has also been
associated with the production of immobile and
abnormally shaped sperm. Cocaine use may also
increase the likelihood of erectile dysfunction
(the inability to achieve and maintain an erection)
which indirectly affects fertility.
Opiate drugs such as heroin may also reduce
fertility because they have hormone altering
effects and decrease libido.
Performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic
steroids impair fertility because they alter
hormone production and reduce libido.
Detoxification and Preconception
Supplementation have been proven to help
several men deal with male infertility as it helps
the body get rid of several of those toxins
affecting health sperm production, and also
supplying the needed nourishment necessary for
healthy sperm production.
You should visit www.fertilityhome.com.ng to
learn more about our Natural Detoxification and
Supplementation Program targeted at men who
might be having a challenge in this direction.
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