What affects the quality of sperm

Natalia Rostovtseva, Be Healthy magazine

Sperm is formed in a man's body throughout his life, starting from the moment of puberty. The process itself takes about 72 days, and the viability of spermatozoa in a woman's body and their ability to fertilize is preserved for about two days. At the moment of ejaculation, the ejaculation of sperm occurs at a speed of 10-20 meters per second.

Back in the 1970s, a sperm concentration of 40 million per milliliter was considered the cause of infertility. In the 1990s, the World Health Organization set a minimum threshold of 20 million. And a recent study by British scientists showed that since 1938, the average sperm count has decreased by 42%. Now it is not quantity that is more important for doctors, but quality.

Modern WHO standards for healthy sperm:

• the concentration of spermatozoa is not less than 20 million per milliliter.
• the volume of sperm is not less than 2 milliliters.
• at least 75% of spermatozoa must be alive.
• at least 30% of the cells should be of normal shape.
• at least 25% of spermatozoa should move quickly.
• at least 50% should move at all.

There are two pieces of news for men: bad and good. The bad news is that almost everything affects the quality of sperm, the good news is that everything is fixable.

Unlike eggs, which are laid in a woman's body even before she is born, sperm matures constantly. Most scientists agree that it is enough to change the lifestyle for at least two to three months to improve sperm fertility and get healthy offspring.

8 FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY 1. Chemistry

As already mentioned, almost everything affects sperm.

The most common factors are usually alcohol, smoking, and drug use. Marijuana, cocaine and heroin can reduce the concentration of sperm by up to 50%, and prolonged use can cause infertility.

Another substance that affects the quality of sperm, doctors call anabolic steroids, which reduce the mobility and viability of cells.

2. STDsSexually transmitted diseases are also a very common cause of infertility.

For example, a man's chlamydia reduces the chances of conception by 33%. It is important to understand that sexual infections are most often asymptomatic in men, so regular examination will help to detect the disease in time and prevent possible problems.

3. EcologyAmerican experts have not yet agreed on how serious the impact of air pollution is.

Scientists from the University of Utah came to the conclusion that polluted air reduces the speed of sperm movement. On the other hand, the results showed that there are no reasons for serious concern yet, since the speed of sperm movement has decreased insignificantly. However, we must not forget that the criteria for air pollution in the United States and in Russia are different and who knows what the result of the study in Moscow would be.

4. OverheatingIt is quite common to believe that high temperature affects fertility, but experts from the medical center of Portland, Oregon, believe that a hot bath or sauna will not lead to serious consequences if you do not use them too often.

However, longer overheating can really have a negative effect. Doctors do not recommend men to work with a laptop on their knees, wear tight tight underwear, and also choose professions associated with prolonged overheating, such as metallurgical production. A long stay in a sitting position, especially when driving a car, also leads to overheating.

5. IntelligenceJeffrey Miller of the University of New Mexico recently discovered that intelligence indicators have a direct relationship with sperm quality.

He came to this conclusion quite by accident when he studied the state of health of veterans of the Vietnam War. During the study, data were collected on various physical and psychological indicators, including semen analysis. Tests showed that intellectually developed men showed equally good results in studies of their sperm.

6. NutritionDo not forget about nutrition.

The lack of vitamin C, zinc, as well as vitamins B12 and E can affect the activity of sperm.

7. OverweightThere is still no single point of view about the effect of overweight on fertility.

In the summer of 2008, experts from the University of Aberdeen confirmed that men with a high body mass index have more abnormal sperm in their sperm. However, extra pounds do not affect the activity and concentration of sperm cells in any way. Scientists from Denmark have recently come to the same conclusions. They reported that although being overweight leads to a decrease in the concentration of sex hormones, sperm counts do not change.

8. InjuriesAlthough scientists always advocate a healthy lifestyle, certain types of physical activity negatively affect sperm.

Mountain biking, for example, is accompanied by constant minor testicular injuries, which entails a decrease in sperm motility.

9. Mobile phonesScientists are very concerned about the influence of mobile phones.

Specialists at the Cleveland Clinic have recently conducted several studies in this area. In one experiment, they placed sperm samples of 32 men next to mobile phones in conversation mode. After an hour of such exposure, the viability of spermatozoa decreased significantly. Another study by the same scientists showed that using a mobile phone for more than four hours a day greatly worsens the quality of sperm. And although experts insist on more research in this area, they do not recommend carrying a mobile phone in the front pocket of your trousers and I advise you to use hands-free headsets more often. The American Postal Trade Association immediately responded to this study, announcing that communication by regular mail does not affect the quality of sperm in any way.

So, dear men, when your other half decides to procreate, demand to allocate an amount from the family budget for a three-month vacation at a ski resort in the Alps. Fresh air, sports, cold and pigeon mail are your loyal friends.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru24.10.2008