Causes of male infertility

American study, conducted in 2001, showed that the causes of infertility in men who have experienced problems with conception include: vasectomy - 56% of men in the study wanted to cancel this procedure to which they were previously subjected. varicocele - veins enlargement in the scrotum 14% unknown cause 8% lack of sperm 6%. Some common conditions and situations that adversely affect fertility are listed bellow.

Physical and Mental Stress

Almost all major physical and mental stresses can temporarily reduce sperm count. Stress can interfere with the hormone GnRH and reduce sperm count.

Sexual Problems

Impotence, premature ejaculation and the psychological or emotional problems in relationship can contribute to male infertility in about 1% of cases. Lubricants used with condoms, which include spermicides, oils and Vaseline, can badly affect the fertility.

Testicles Heating

Overheating due to increased body temperature, sauna, hot baths, working conditions, etc. can temporarily reduce sperm count.

Substance Abuse

Use of heavy drugs (including marijuana) can reduce sperm quality by even 50%. Severe abuse of alcohol also negatively affects the fertility of men.

Smoking

Smoking negatively affects sperm motility and longevity, and can cause genetic changes. Studies show that men and women who smoke have less success in conception and lower sex drive.

Improper Diet

Lack of certain nutrients such as vitamin C, selenium, zinc and folic acid, and can be a particular risk factor for infertility.

Obesity

Some studies have found a link between obesity and infertility in men who have over 20% of excess body fat.

Cycling

This sport is associated with a potential impotence and infertility. Constant pressure by bicycle set can damage blood vessels and nerves responsible for erection. Mountain cycling, which involves driving on rough terrain exposes the perineum region to shocks and vibrations, increasing the risk of scrotum injuring.

Genetic Factors

Problems in the genes that regulate male fertility and the genetic material of sperm can strongly contribute to the male infertility. In fact, 19% of sperm is genetically defective even in men who haven't got problems with fertility. Defective genes can be inherited, be the result of the environmental bad influence, or combined of these two.

Sperm carries half of the genetic material in the creation of human beings. It was found that infertile men have a relatively high percentage of sperm with broken or damaged DNA.

Abnormalities in genes that regulate the production and quality of semen are the main factor in male infertility. Some studies show that about 10% of male infertility cases may be due to genetic problems in acrosome. It is a membrane on the sperm head, which penetrates the egg cell during fertilization.

Certain inherited disorders can affect fertility. They include the following: in the case of cystic fibrosis, vas deferens (the channel that carries sperm) is often missing or disturbed patients with Klinefelter syndrome carry two X and one Y chromosome (one X and one Y is normal), which leads to damage in the testicles during puberty, although other physical attributes of masculinity remain untouched Kartagener's syndrome is a rare disorder that affects sperm motility, polycystic kidney disease can cause infertility if cysts spread in the reproductive tract.