This week is the final post for my fertility series. I am going to be talking about male fertility. According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine approximately one-third of infertility is attributed to the female partner, one-third attributed to the male partner and one-third is caused by a combination of problems in both partners, or is unexplained. So, when we only look at the woman as a cause for infertility we are missing a vital piece of the puzzle especially since what could be affecting men’s fertility is usually easier to correct. Let’s talk more about what we look at when addressing male fertility.
Well, it’s a no brainer here, we first look at the sperm. We test the sperm count which is how many sperm he has at any given time. The average sperm count is between 120 and 350 million per cubic centimeter. A low sperm count is below 40 million per cubic centimeter. We look at motility, which is how well the sperm are moving to see how well they are able to travel to the egg to fertilize it. We also check morphology which is the shape of the sperm and how well it will be able to pierce the egg to fertilize it. We also want to look at inflammation in the body as well as the antioxidant status of the body since this can affect the overall health of the sperm and the genetic information inside. We also will look at the hormone testosterone to check the levels to make sure they are in range since it does signal production of sperm on a day to day basis.
When I would work with my clients and we were testing the men to see if there were any issues with their sperm, I almost would rather find out it was a sperm issue than an issue with the woman’s reproductive system. The female reproductive system is way more complex than a sperm. Sperm are made all the time and last for about 3 months before they die. For example if we find out a man has a motility issue I’ve found that most of the time it is due to a nutrient deficiency. This is easy to fix because the male body is able make healthy sperm once the deficiency has been corrected. Lets talk about what nutrients can affect the health of sperm. Some of these nutrients can be increased with food and/or supplements.
There are many nutrients that can affect fertility like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. First there is an amino acid called Carnitine that provides the fuel for sperm to have the energy to get to the egg so in turn it improves sperm motility. Vitamin D affects the enzymes the sperm needs to fuse with the egg. Men with low vitamin D may have slower sperm because Vitamin D affects the healthy development of the sperm.
Glutithione is an antioxidant that affects sperm motility. Glutathione decreases the oxidative stress on the sperm, when the stress on the sperm is too high it affects how well it can move and travel to get to the egg. Glutithione is also a Cofactor to an enzyme that ensures structural integrity of sperm. Vitamin C and Coenzyme Q10 (Coq10)Coenzyme Q10 are antioxidants that protect against oxidative stress which damages the sperm. The damage leads to issues with sperm count, motility, genetic information and structure. Copper and manganese are minerals and are also cofactors for superoxide dismutase (a very powerful antioxidant) that protects sperm from oxidative damage.
Selenium is required for sperm to mature and it also protects the outside membrane of the sperm. Vitamin E also protects the sensitive sperm cell membranes and it enhances the sperm’s ability to penetrate an egg. Vitamin A regulates genes that control sperm production and a deficiency can lead to a low sperm count. Vitamin B12 moves from blood to semen to assist in sperm production. Zinc and Folate affect testosterone levels which are needed to signal sperm production. Zinc is also needed in the testes to make sperm, when it is low, the actual sperm count is reduced.
To sum it up, a lack of antioxidant status to combat the amount of oxidative stress leaves the sperm unprotected and leads to sperm that are ineffective. Also, vitamins and minerals are necessary to make hormones that are involved in the actual production of the sperm, so this is a double edged sword that may need to be addressed from both sides.
+To view the chart with the references, click here.
A great way to see what you are deficient in is to do a Spectracell micronutrient test. If you would like to run this test, I can send a kit to your home and you can take it to your nearest approved blood site. This test can be run in your larger cities. Please message me on the contact us tab if you are interested and I can give you more information and find the location nearest you that can do the blood draw. After we have received the results of the test, I will go over them with you, recommend certain supplements and foods to help bring up your levels. Also, we can discuss things that could be contributing to your nutrient deficiencies and how to keep your levels optimal in the future.
I’ve enjoyed sharing about fertility and nutrition with you in this blog series. Hopefully this information has helped you feel empowered as you consider how nutrition is linked to fertility. I feel that it is exciting that something as “simple” as proper nutrition can affect such an important part of your life. I would love to help you develop a specific meal plan and/ or vitamin supplement plan to assist you in your journey to grow your family!
**Information gathered from SpectraCell’s website to further explain nutrients and male fertility.