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What Lifestyle Factors May Affect Male Fertility?
Rose Men’s Health Center, Denver, Co
Researchers and specialists often ignore male fertility, but it plays a key role in many couples’ conception difficulties. In fact, male factor infertility accounts for up to 40% of all fertility clinic visits. A small percentage of these men suffer from particular disorders, which causes their infertility. However, a large number of men actually have no apparent reason for their infertility. Some of these men may be practicing certain lifestyle factors that are contributing to their fertility issues. Common lifestyle factors that influence fertility include:
- poor diet
- obesity
- smoking
- recreational drug use
- exposure to environmental toxins
- stress
Diet
A poor diet can have an adverse affect on male fertility. If you are not eating a properly-balanced diet, your body is not getting the nutrients that it needs to engage in sperm production. In particular, your body needs appropriate levels of zinc, vitamin B12, and vitamin C to produce healthy, viable sperm. Many men with nutritional deficiencies suffer from low sperm count and poor sperm motility as a result of their poor diet.
Many men and women now incorporate herbal supplements as a part of their daily nutrition regimen. Herbal supplements can be very helpful for combating illness and promoting good physical and mental health. However, certain herbal supplements can interfere with male fertility. In particular, St. John’s Wort, cotton, and androstenione (a natural steroid), can interfere with sperm production and health.
Weight
Weight can also have a negative effect on male fertility and sperm production. Recent studies show that men with a higher-than-normal body mass index (BMI) are more likely to suffer from fertility issues. This is because weight influences how the body produces certain hormones. In one particular study, men who were overweight produced 24% less testosterone than men of average weight. Obese men produced 26% less testosterone. Sufficient levels of testosterone are needed to produce high levels of motile sperm.
Smoking
Both first and second-hand cigarette smoking have been shown to reduce sperm count in men, and can also affect sperm morphology, which has the potential to lead to birth defects. A recent study performed at the University of Buffalo concludes that nicotine and tobacco impair the ability of sperm to bind to the outer layer of the egg, impeding fertilization.
Recreational Drug Use
Frequent and/or prolonged use of marijuana use has been linked with a reduction in sperm count and seminal fluid. As well, the sperm behavior of men who regularly smoke marijuana has been found to be "abnormal", meaning that the sperm has problems swimming as well as penetrating the egg. Lower testosterone levels are also common in men who habitually smoke marijuana. As a normal testosterone level is vital to the production of sperm, regular use of marijuana causes this process to become hindered.
Other recreational drugs use also affects fertility. Narcotics such as heroin, amphetamines, cocaine and PCP have been linked with a decrease in libido, erectile dysfunction and ejaculatory problems. Heroin has been shown to disrupt normal hormone production causing diminished LH and testosterone levels. Cocaine has been shown to significantly impact a man's fertility and even contribute to birth defects in a child. Men who use cocaine have been found to have lower sperm counts, reduced sperm motility, as well as an increase the amount of abnormal sperm. Cocaine use just prior to conceiving has also been associated with birth defects in children.
Alcohol
Alcohol has been known to be a factor in both female and male factor infertility for years now. Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked with reduced sperm count and poor sperm motility. Even men who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to have weaker and slower sperm compared with non-drinkers. Alcoholics often have problems with achieving and maintaining an erection. Additionally, because alcohol damages the liver, alcoholics are more likely to have higher levels of estrogen in their body, which can severely suppress sperm. Moreover, alcohol abuse has been linked with damaged sperm and reduced sperm counts.
Environmental Hazards
Chemicals and Toxins
Certain chemicals and pollutants in your environment may also be contributing to your infertility. These pollutants can be found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Frequent exposure to pesticides, lead, gases, and heavy metals can have adverse affects on fertility, impairing sperm production and motility. If you work in a job that exposes you to these toxic chemicals, speak with your reproductive endocrinologist about the effects it may be having on your fertility.
Heat
Though it may seem harmless, heat can actually wreak havoc on your sperm quality and production. Sperm need to be kept at a cooler temperature then the rest of the body; this is why your testicles are located outside of your body. Strenuous exercise, whirlpool baths, or tight underwear can increase the temperature of your scrotum, damaging and even killing your sperm. Be sure to avoid hot saunas and spas, and wear loose fitting underwear while you are trying to conceive.
Stress
Physical and emotional stress can also play a role in male factor infertility. Stress causes your body to release certain hormones. Continued stress can cause hormonal imbalance, which could effect your sperm production. While you are trying to conceive, it is important to find ways to lower your daily stress.
Summary
Scientists used to believe that if sperm were damaged, they could not fertilize an egg; therefore, only the "fittest" sperm would carry on the species --some call this the "macho sperm" theory. Research now shows sperm are vulnerable and that even when damaged, they may still fertilize an egg. Some toxins may alter the sperm's chromosomes, which carry genetic information. If this happens, the results may range from infertility and miscarriage to stillbirth, birth defects, learning disabilities, and even childhood leukemia and kidney cancer.
It is therefore wise for men who want to have children to change unhealthy lifestyle habits and, when possible, protect themselves from hazards and toxins in the environment and workplace. Stop smoking, drinking, using recreational drugs, and taking any unnecessary medications at least three months before you start working on getting pregnant. Sperm develop over a three-month period; that means your mature sperm today may have been affected by how you lived 3 months ago. Researchers now suspect that reproduction and fetal development may be affected if the biological father has been exposed to lifestyle or occupation hazards, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, taking non-prescribed drugs, and being exposed to toxic chemicals.
Your fertility is often a reflection of your general health. If you are healthy and abide by principles of good healthy living, chances are your sperm will also be healthy, provided you haven't sustained permanent damage to your sperm-making equipment in the past (through trauma or infection, for instance), or weren't born with a disorder or structural problem that could prevent you from producing viable sperm.
Lifestyle (short version)
The use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, tobacco, and excessive amounts of alcohol can reduce fertility. Certain prescription drugs may also have an effect. Anything that increases the temperature around the testicles, such as tight underwear, is thought to reduce fertility. Men who use steroids for body building, ulcer medication, anti-malarial drugs or work in environments where they’re exposed to solvents found in paints and printing inks can be at greater risk, as are those whose mothers took diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage.
