There are a lot of myths surrounding sperm count and sperm health. The truth is that your sperm count can vary from day to day and can be affected by many things. If you are interested in increasing your sperm health or sperm count, there are a few things that you can do to help improve your chances of having healthy sperm.
Take your vitamins. A daily multivitamin can help your body to become a good environment for sperm production. Zinc and Folic Acid have been shown to help in sperm production and increase sperm count for a lot of men. Keeping your body healthy can have a direct connection with keeping your sperm healthy.
Diet can have an impact on your sperm as well. Try eating lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. In today’s society, we tend to eat a lot of processed foods loaded with additives and little nutrition. Become label conscious and try to eat a more balanced diet. Healthy fats can help with sperm production. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, eggs, flax and avocados.
Refrain from damaging recreations such as smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages and drugs. All of these things will hinder sperm production. Cigarettes and drugs are loaded with toxins that are not compatible with sperm growth and development. Stay away from these things if you are trying to conceive.
Toxins in your environment can also damage sperm. If you are exposed to toxins daily, such as pesticides or paint fumes, then it may be affecting your sperm count. Wear gloves when exposing your skin to household cleaners. Wear a ventilation mask if you are around any fumes that could be inhaled. Shower often to help your body rid itself of toxins that could be in your system.
Heat can hinder sperm production. Choose warm showers over hot baths. Avoid hot tubs. Switch from briefs to boxers. Your testes naturally drop to get away from your body when they get too hot and contract closer to your abdomen if they need to warm up. Changing your underwear from briefs to boxers will allow your testes to function as they were designed.
Talk to an infertility specialist. Certain medications and illnesses can impact your sperm production. Make sure that you are not taking any medications that could thwart your efforts. Work with your doctor to figure out what could be causing your low sperm count. It could be your environment, lifestyle, habits or an underlying medical condition. Be patient and do what you can to help improve your chances of a healthy sperm count.
About the Author: Dr. Eric Daiter, the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.
Showing posts with label sperm count. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sperm count. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Male Factor Infertility: Semen Analysis
Nearly half of all infertility problems are attributed to the male half of the couple. Therefore, it is extremely common and necessary to test both partners when trying to determine the possible causes of infertility.
You may be surprised when you see an infertility specialist and they ask to test the man first. Some see this as unfair and feel as if the finger is being pointed unjustly at them. This is a normal reaction, but you must understand that there is a good reason for testing the man first. The tests performed through a semen analysis are a lot less invasive than the tests involved in diagnosing a female patient.
A semen analysis can tell your infertility doctor a lot about your semen and your sperm. First, your semen will be analyzed. When you look at the results, you may have questions.
Viscosity refers to the liquidity of the semen. The semen will be checked for thickening after ejaculation. If it does not stay liquid, then sperm can have trouble maneuvering through it to fertilize an egg, or the sperm may actually be killed. This could indicate an infection.
The fructose levels of the sample will also be checked. Low levels could make for slow, motionless or stalemate sperm. The sperm need fructose for energy to give themselves the forward momentum and speed necessary for fertilizing an egg.
The pH balance of the semen should be alkaline. This protects it from the acidic vaginal fluids that it will come in contact with.
The sperm is the next thing to be examined in your semen analysis. Sperm is analyzed for motility, morphology, clumping and volume.
Volume refers to how many sperm are present in your semen sample. A sperm count is considered low if it is below 20 million sperm per milliliter. If there are no sperm present at all, then you may be diagnosed as azoospermic. Sperm count is affected by many factors and more than one sample may be needed to determine that it is actually the cause of infertility.
Clumping occurs when sperm sticks together and is rendered immobile. If there is no way for the sperm to break free and become mobile, then it can not fertilize an egg.
Motility measures how well your sperm can move and produce a forward motion. Ideally, a good portion of your sperm should be able to swim fast in a forward motion. Some may swim in a sideways or irregular pattern. Some may have no forward motion at all, even though they appear active. Inactive sperm are unable to move at all.
The morphology of the sperm refers to its shape. The shape of the sperm should consist of an oval head, a defined mid-piece and a long tail. All semen samples have some irregular sperm with two tails, round heads, no tails, no mid-piece or other deformity. If there are too many irregular sperm, then conception may be difficult.
Talk to your infertility specialist about any questions you may have concerning your semen analysis. This information is provided by Dr. Eric Daiter MD.
About the Author: Dr. Eric Daiter (Eric Daiter), the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER. Dr. Eric Daiter MD offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT.
You may be surprised when you see an infertility specialist and they ask to test the man first. Some see this as unfair and feel as if the finger is being pointed unjustly at them. This is a normal reaction, but you must understand that there is a good reason for testing the man first. The tests performed through a semen analysis are a lot less invasive than the tests involved in diagnosing a female patient.
A semen analysis can tell your infertility doctor a lot about your semen and your sperm. First, your semen will be analyzed. When you look at the results, you may have questions.
Viscosity refers to the liquidity of the semen. The semen will be checked for thickening after ejaculation. If it does not stay liquid, then sperm can have trouble maneuvering through it to fertilize an egg, or the sperm may actually be killed. This could indicate an infection.
The fructose levels of the sample will also be checked. Low levels could make for slow, motionless or stalemate sperm. The sperm need fructose for energy to give themselves the forward momentum and speed necessary for fertilizing an egg.
The pH balance of the semen should be alkaline. This protects it from the acidic vaginal fluids that it will come in contact with.
The sperm is the next thing to be examined in your semen analysis. Sperm is analyzed for motility, morphology, clumping and volume.
Volume refers to how many sperm are present in your semen sample. A sperm count is considered low if it is below 20 million sperm per milliliter. If there are no sperm present at all, then you may be diagnosed as azoospermic. Sperm count is affected by many factors and more than one sample may be needed to determine that it is actually the cause of infertility.
Clumping occurs when sperm sticks together and is rendered immobile. If there is no way for the sperm to break free and become mobile, then it can not fertilize an egg.
Motility measures how well your sperm can move and produce a forward motion. Ideally, a good portion of your sperm should be able to swim fast in a forward motion. Some may swim in a sideways or irregular pattern. Some may have no forward motion at all, even though they appear active. Inactive sperm are unable to move at all.
The morphology of the sperm refers to its shape. The shape of the sperm should consist of an oval head, a defined mid-piece and a long tail. All semen samples have some irregular sperm with two tails, round heads, no tails, no mid-piece or other deformity. If there are too many irregular sperm, then conception may be difficult.
Talk to your infertility specialist about any questions you may have concerning your semen analysis. This information is provided by Dr. Eric Daiter MD.
About the Author: Dr. Eric Daiter (Eric Daiter), the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER. Dr. Eric Daiter MD offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT.
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