It's only in the last fifty years,
with the developments in reproductive biology, ironically
pushed forward by the women's liberation movement and
their fight for the right to control their own bodies
that the investigation into male reproductive biology
seemed to progress as well. Inevitably the admission
came that in as much as fifty percent of infertility
cases, the fault lay with the male.
Low sperm counts, erectile dysfunctions, blockages.
None of these terms would have even been considered
a hundred years ago. It's only recently, with the rising
rates of infertility along with the generally more balanced
world view between men and women that the microscope
has been turned on men as much as women in the battle
to conceive.
So what do men need to know to protect themselves as
well as prepare themselves for when they finally do
want to father children? Is there any truth to rumors
or supposed myths about bicycle seats, tighty whities
and hot tubs? Are there specific foods that cater to
male fertility more than others?
There is an old joke that if you want to get a woman
pregnant, get her drunk, but research has proven that
if the male is drunk too, the chances of anyone getting
pregnant are slim to none. Not only does too much alcohol
impair a man's ability to achieve an erection, if he
does manage to achieve one, his ability to ejaculate
becomes impaired. Add to that the fact that alcohol
actually damages the sperm creating cells and raises
estrogen levels in men. Long term alcoholism can cause
extensive internal damage to the testicles themselves.
In the matter of the infamous tighty whitie debate
the answer, according to Dr. Sheldon Marks, a specialist
in male fertility, is a definitive no. Despite the firm
belief that tight underwear blunts sperm production
as opposed to loose fitting underwear, there is no scientific
research to support the idea that any kind of underwear
affects sperm production one way or the other. So where
does this belief stem from? Perhaps it is the advice
that keeping the male genitals too warm does indeed
damage sperm. After all, isn't that why male reproductive
organs are on the outside, to keep sperm cool while
a woman's reproductive system is fully contained inside
her body?
In the same vein, hot tubs, saunas and hot showers
have indeed been proven to lower sperm counts. Once
these factors are removed, studies have shown that sperm
motility returns to normal levels in as little as a
month or two.
Smoking in all its forms; cigarettes or marijuana damages
sperm. So now there is yet another reason to butt out.
A study by cigarette company Phillip Morris where the
sperm of smokers was analyzed, discovered that their
sperm did not have the ability to bind strongly enough
to a female's egg, severely hampering conception.
While the usual sage advice of healthy diet and exercise
is certainly based in truth, too much exercise can have
an adverse affect on sperm counts. Heat damages sperm
so if the body over heats during excessive exercise
then this can have the same affect as a being in a hot
tub or sauna. It's very important for men to stay hydrated
during exercise and be careful not to over exert themselves.
One of the most shocking impediments to male fertility
could indeed be his female partner. The vagina, by its
very nature is designed with a PH that is supposed to
kill sperm and prevent conception. This is why semen
tends to clump up after ejaculation into the vagina.
The clumping is to protect the sperm as it travels through
the vagina in its journey to the woman's egg. If the
woman's PH is severely off balance or too high (douching
has been proven to throw off this balance) then the
secretions in the vagina kill the sperm more often than
not.
So what can a man do to increase his chances of fathering
a child? Normally, couples are given at least six months
to attempt to conceive naturally before tests are done
on both the woman and the man to determine what could
be impeding conception.
A regular semen analysis every few months (after 3
days of abstinence) can help the doctor see if there
is a significant drop in sperm motility.
While acupuncture is believed to help women conceive
by relaxing the uterine walls, making it easy for conception
to take place, recent studies have proven that it may
also help men achieve higher sperm counts as well.
An increase in protein in the diet has been shown to
increase fertility for men. Vegetarians can take protein
supplements. Other helpful supplements include Vitamin
C, Selenium, Vitamin E and even Folic Acid, previously
thought to be just for mothers-to-be.
Certainly one of the most popular ways to increase
sperm count is sex every 24 or at least 48 hours. Ejaculating
at least once a day keeps the man reproductive system
working efficiently and helps prevent sperm from dying.
The key to detecting and correcting any impediments
to conception is early testing. Visit your urologist
once you have been trying to conceive for at least six
months and he will do both a semen analysis and a brief
physical exam. From there he can help figure out what
could be keeping you from fathering a child and what
you can do to help achieve your goal of becoming a father.
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