Low Sperm Count Causes

The number one cause of infertility in men is having a low sperm count. Other causes could be a problem with sperm motility, lack of semen, or the quality of the sperm. However, in most cases male infertility is caused by a low sperm count. There are several environmental and biological factors that can cause a man’s sperm count to be low. The following is a list of the factors that can contribute to a low sperm count:

Age:

The exact effect that aging has on a male fertility is not entirely clear, however, a growing amount of evidence is linking a man’s age to his sperm count. Men who are under the age of 39 have fertilization rates of over 60%, but the fertilization rate for men who are over this age is a little more than half this number.

Lifestyle and Temporary Low Sperm Count Causes:

Almost any large amount of mental or physical stress can cause sperm count to lower temporarily. Some of these common stress factors that will cause a temporary low sperm count include:

• Sexual Problems: Less than 1% of males will experience infertility problems as a result of their sexual intercourse techniques.
• Premature Ejaculation, relationship or psychological problems, or impotence can all contribute to fertility issues, however, these conditions are often times easily treatable.
• Emotional Stress: Stress has sometimes been proven to interfere with the production of the GnRH hormone which will lower sperm counts.
• Personal and Condom Lubricants that include oils, Vaseline, and spermicides, can affect male fertility. If you are looking for a lubricant that is sperm friendly your best bet would be to choose a pre-seed lubricant.

Overheating of Testicles:

Overheating caused by a high fever, hot tubs, or saunas can temporarily cause sperm count to lower. Even working in a high heat environment can temporarily impair fertility.

Drug Abuse:

Heavy usage of marijuana or cocaine can temporarily reduce sperm count and quality by up to 50%. Certain chemicals in marijuana will affect the sperm’s receptors that can impair the sperm’s swimming and egg penetration ability.

Smoking Cigarettes:

Smoking cigerettes has been proven to impair male sperm count, motility, and lifespan, and can change the genetic makeup carried by the sperm that can have an affect on your offspring. Furthermore, a study done in 1999 showed that men who smoke have a lower sex drive.

Nutrition deficiencies and malnutrition:

Deficiencies in selenium, Vitamin C, Folate, and zinc can be factors that contribute to low sperm count.

Obesity:

Some research has shown that there may be a connection in men who are obese and low sperm count.

Bicycling:

Constant bicycle riding has been linked to a cause of impotence in men which can affect sperm count. The pressure applied by the bike seat to the male genitals has been shown to damage the nerves and blood vessels that are necessary for erections. Especially mountain biking, which includes off road riding on rough terrain which will expose the perineum (the place between the anus and the scrotum) to increased vibrations and shocks that can heighten the risk of injury to the male’s scrotum.

Genetics:

Genetics are constantly proving to play an important role in male fertility. Certain genetic conditions may be hereditary or caused by environmental conditions. The following hereditary genetic conditions have been known to affect male fertility:

Cystic Fibrosis sufferers have been shown to have obstructed or missing vas deferens (tubes that the sperm travel through) and will lower sperm count.

Kartagener Syndrome is a rare disorder that has been thought to cause a backwards positioning of vital organs, including the immotile cilia (hair like cells located in the sinuses and lungs that are similarly structured like the tails of sperm). This condition may also affect the body’s germ cells.

Klinefelter Syndrome sufferers carry one Y chromosome and two X chromosomes (normally men should have one of each), which can lead to the deterioration during puberty of the seminferous tubule lining located in the testicles. Note that there are not other physical male attributes that will be impaired as a result of this disease.

Environmental Factors:

Excessive exposure to environmental chemicals, infections and toxins have been shown to lower sperm count because of the direct assualt on the body’s hormone systems or its testicular function, however, the extent of these environmental factors on male fertility is often a controversial subject. The following are chemicals that can affect male sperm production:

• Estrogen Emulation Pesticidal Checmicals like furans, aldrin, dioxins, PCPs, DDT, dieldrin.
• Oxygen Free Radicals
• Plastic Softening Chemicals such as Phthalates and hydrocarbons including benzene, xylene, toluene.

Heavy Metal Exposure:

Constant exposure to heavy metals like cadmium, arsenic, and lead might affect the body’s production of sperm in otherwise healthy males. Microscopic amounts of these heavy metals found in a man’s semen seem to prohibit the functioning of the enzymes located in the acrosome, which is the membrane that protects the head of the sperm.

Exposure to Radiation:

X-rays and radiation treatment for cancer can affect any cell that is rapidly dividing, therefore the cells involved in sperm production are extremely sensitive to damage caused by radiation. Cells that are exposed to high levels of radiation my need up to 2 years to resume normal production of sperm, and in extreme circumstances, may never recuperate.

Low Levels of Semen:

A lowered volume of semen during ejaculation (less than .5 mm per orgasm) may be a result of a structure abnormality in the tubes that transport the sperm.

Varicocele:

This is a condition that occurs when a varicose vien (an abnormally large and twisted vein) develops in the cord that is connected to one of the testicles. Varicoceles are found to be a problem in 15-20% of all men and in 25-40% of men who are infertile. It is not quite clear of how or even if this problem affects fertility.

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