Not having enough sperm can impact a man’s life in many ways — conceiving naturally becomes a lot more difficult, and your different sexual functions are negatively affected. It can also bring about pain and discomfort in your genitals, as well as physical changes and hormonal abnormalities. To prevent going through all of these, it should be treated as soon as possible.
What is a low sperm count?
Also known as oligozoospermia, a low sperm count is a medical condition in which a man does not meet the ideal number of sperm cells in his semen. If you have it, it means that you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.
What are the usual warning signs of a low sperm count?
If you have a low sperm count, you may manifest the following signs and symptoms:
- Inability to impregnate your partner
- Low libido or sexual desire
- Having trouble getting an erection
- Difficulty keeping a firm erection during sex
- Abnormalities in your hormones or chromosomes, resulting to decreased body hair and other physically changes
What causes a low sperm count?
In order to have enough healthy and good quality sperm in your body, your testicles, pituitary glands, hypothalamus, and other body parts have to be in excellent condition. If any of them are afflicted with a disease or disorder, your sperm production is negatively impacted, leaving you with a low sperm count, and, sometimes, even sperm with shape and motility problems.
Below are examples of health problems that can cause a low sperm count:
Epididymitis
If your epididymis, which is the tube found behind your testicles that serves as the storage area of your sperm, is swollen or inflamed, you develop epididymitis. It can strike men, both young and old, and often comes with signs and symptoms like chills, tenderness or pain in the testicles, pelvic pain, pain when ejaculating and having sex, and fever.
Varicocele
This condition is characterized by the swelling of the veins in your scrotum. Its common symptoms include pain and discomfort in the groin area or when standing or doing physical tasks. If not diagnosed and treated right away, it can lead to atrophy or the shrinkage of your testicles, or infertility.
Certain types of medications
Some anabolic steroids, antibiotics, antifungal medicines, ulcer medications, and testosterone replacement therapies can ruin your body’s ability to produce healthy sperm, and result to a low sperm count and impaired fertility and sexual functions. If this happens to you, you should talk to your doctor right away to find alternative medications with no negative side effects to your sperm production.
Certain surgical procedures
Prostate surgeries, vasectomy, testicular or scrotal surgeries, abdominal surgeries, inguinal hernia repairs, and some other surgical procedures can leave you unable to have enough sperm in your semen.
What should you do to increase your sperm count?
1. Lose weight
Feeding your body a lot of junk can lead to obesity, which is a serious health problem that can impair your sexual and reproductive functions. If you are obese, or even just overweight, your risks of libido loss, reduced fertility, and low sperm count and quality become higher. For your sake, you should start eating foods that are high in fiber and other essential nutrients, and get rid of foods high in sugar, fats, and salt from your diet to get down to your ideal weight.
2. Minimize alcohol consumption
Drinking occasionally is not something that should cause worry or panic. However, if it happens frequently, you are only subjecting your body to high levels of harmful substances contained in alcohol that can damage your liver, intestines, stomach, and other vital organs, and can decrease your sperm count and fertility. To prevent these health problems, learn to control your drinking, and see a medical professional to help you get through it.
3. Stop taking recreational drugs
Recreational drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, can have drastic effects on your sperm count. These substances contain elements that are not good for the body. They can also damage your immune system, increase your risks of heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues, hurt your liver, and make your prone to strokes and seizures.
4. Quit smoking
Various studies have found that there is a significant difference in the sperm counts of smokers and non-smokers. They observed that men who smoked exhibited lower sperm counts and qualities in comparison to those who did not. The smokers were also found to be highly likely to develop pneumonia, lung cancer, and other diseases.
5. Take good care of your mental health
If you are stressed, anxious, depressed, or suffering from other mental health problems, your body experiences hormonal imbalances that negatively impact not only your mental and emotional health but also your sexual and reproductive capabilities. To prevent that, you should pay attention to your mental health by finding hobbies and activities that can relax and clear your mind, and by seeing a therapist or mental health professional for the best treatment solutions appropriate for your condition.
Are there foods that can help you naturally boost your sperm count?
Along with eliminating certain bad habits in your daily routine, you should also strive to include healthy and organic foods in your diet to increase your sperm count. Below are some good examples:
- Bananas
Rich in vitamins and minerals, bananas can aid in the production of sufficient healthy sperm. They contain bromelain, which is a type of rare enzyme that possesses anti-inflammatory functions, and enhances sperm count and motility.
- Eggs
Overflowing with protein and vitamin E, eggs can ward off free radicals that can threaten your sperm cells, and help your body produce enough amounts of strong and healthy sperm in your semen for increased sex drive, fertility, and erectile functions.
- Broccoli
With its high folic acid content, broccoli is a super vegetable that not only helps in building strong bones and muscles, but also in improving a man’s sperm count, quality, and motility.
