A lot of couples currently have fertility problems and a large part of that is sperm-related. Sperm counts have been declining steadily over the past 50 years. Below are common Ways Men Damage their Sperm without knowing. As a man, avoiding those factors listed below will boost your sperm count, motility, viability & overall fertility.
1. Tight underwear.
Wear boxers instead of tight pants, and go to bed naked if you want to become a father. Wearing tight underwear like pants or shorts keeps your testicles closer to the body, leading to warmer temperatures that may kill sperm & lower sperm count.
2. . Hot bath
Bathing with hot water frequently exposes your testicles to heat, which reduces your sperm count. The same thing happens to men who use saunas often. If you're worried about infertility, it's best to bathe with cold water. Avoid hot water baths!
3. Infections.
Some Infections can block sperm production or passage, due to scaring. Infections of the testicles (e.g. mumps orchitis), sperm tube (epididymitis) & STIs like HIV & gonorrhea can do this. Subsequent permanent damage to the testis may occur, leading to low infertility.
4. Varicoceles.
Varicoceles (swelling of the testis veins) is a major cause of low sperm count & infertility in men. Sperm cells are very fragile. Varicoceles create abnormal temperature inside the testis which might kill some sperm or reduce sperm quality. Treat your varicoceles.
5. Laptop
An average laptop generates heat of up to 70°C during use. Placing it directly on your lap can transfer some of that heat to your testis. Prolonged use may cause irreversible changes in your male reproductive function. Use your laptop on a desk or table rather.
6. Drugs
Some common legal & illegal drugs affect sperm e.g. blood pressure pills like Atenolol - anti-inflammatory drugs like Sulfasalazine - most anti-cancer drugs - cocaine, and many herbal remedies like the herb Tripterygium wilfordii. See a doctor before taking drugs.
7 Mobile Phones.
Heat & radiation from phones can damage sperm. Studies have shown that using a phone for as little as 1 hr a day 'cooks sperm'. Men are hence advised to keep their cell phones as far away from the testes as possible e.g. hold them in their hand or back pocket instead of front pocket.
8. Smoking.
Analysis of smokers' semen shows the presence of tobacco in their sperm. This lowers sperm count and sperm ability to swim actively to fertilize a woman's egg. So smoking damages a man's sperm in such a way that fertilization becomes difficult. Avoid smoking.
9. Marijuana.
Regularly taking marijuana in any form can reduce your sperm count by as much as one-third! Weed lowers the level of testosterone, a hormone needed by the body to produce sperm. Weed also slows down sperm motility. Beware of weed!
10. Steroid
A serious issue nowadays is some guys take steroids to build muscles Steroids harm sperm by making the testicles believe there's enough testosterone in the body, so they should completely relax. This leads to reduced sperm production & male infertility. Stop steroid abuse.
11: Alcohol
Alcohol use can lower testosterone levels & cause decreased sperm production.
In Summary,
These things may damage your sperm
1. Tight underwear
2. Hot baths
3. Infections
4. Varicoceles
5. Laptops
6. Drugs
7. Mobile phones
8. Smoking
9. Marijuana
10. Steroids
As a man, if you don't want to damage your sperm, avoiding those factors listed above will boost your sperm count, motility, viability & overall fertility.
