Men, fix your low sperm count!
Published:Wednesday | July 12, 2023 | 12:05 AM
A LOW sperm count, also called oligozoospermia, is where a man has fewer than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen. Normal sperm densities range from 15 million to greater than 200 million sperm per millilitre of semen. You are considered to have a low sperm count if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per millilitre, or less than 39 million sperm total per ejaculate.
Problems with sperm, including a low sperm count and problems with sperm quality, are quite common. They are a factor in around one in three couples who are struggling to get pregnant. Having a low sperm count can make it more difficult to conceive naturally, although successful pregnancies can still occur.
According to Dr Orlando Thomas, medical doctor and functional medicine practitioner at Thomas Medical Centre, your chance of getting your partner pregnant declines with decreasing sperm counts.
Some men, he said, have no sperm in their semen at all and this is known as azoospermia. “Many men have this aura of invincibility and think that nothing can go wrong. For couples having difficulty bearing children, oftentimes it can be the male with a low sperm count,” Dr Thomas said.
In many cases, Dr Thomas said, it is not obvious what causes a low sperm count. Sometimes, problems with sperm count and quality, he said, are associated with a hormone imbalance; a structural problem, for example, the tubes that carry sperm being damaged and blocked by illness or injury, or being absent from birth; a genital infection, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or prostatitis, that is an infection of the prostate gland.
Excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and using drugs such as marijuana or cocaine; certain medications, including testosterone replacement therapy; long-term anabolic steroid use; cancer medications (chemotherapy); some antibiotics and some antidepressants; being overweight or obese can result in low sperm count.
“Men may ejaculate fluid but when you check it, the sperm count is low. It is not the volume that determines the sperm count, you will have to get your sperm count checked, and many men do not do so,” Dr Thomas said.
To manage male infertility, urologists may recommend medications that correct hormonal imbalances. If problems with sperm are causing infertility, your doctor may recommend assisted reproductive techniques, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF). These procedures are performed by infertility specialists.
Your diet may play a big role in your fertility health. Some studies suggest that certain foods contribute to a decrease in sperm count, including processed meats like hot dogs. The reason behind the relationship between processed meats and sperm count is not yet clear, but preliminary studies show a connection.
Foods with trans-fat lead to heart disease, but some studies show they also lead to reduced sperm count. Soy products have phytoestrogen, a compound that is similar to the hormone estrogen. Consuming too much of it can lead to lower sperm count.
High-fat dairy products like whole milk and foods with pesticides on them can lower your sperm count. Wash your produce before eating to reduce pesticide exposure.
Doctors hypothesise that the high content of omega-3 fatty acids in fish improves sperm count, as well as fruits and vegetables. “Fresh fruits and vegetables have higher concentrations of vitamins and antioxidants which can protect your cells from damage that may improve sperm count. One study found that consuming 18 walnuts a day for 12 weeks improved sperm count,” Dr Thomas said.
Smoking causes reproductive health issues in both men and women. Smoking is related not only to lower sperm count, but also to damaged DNA in sperm. This can lead to miscarriages and other reproductive issues.
Sperm takes about three months to mature. For that reason, experts recommend quitting smoking at least three months before you try to conceive. Quitting smoking immediately improves sperm quality. After three months, the chances of increased sperm count and motility are even greater.