Men's health & fertility
Natural remedies for health
Acupuncture for men's fertility
It probably isn’t until you decide to become a dad that any problems with your fertility come to light. With the exception of infections or something like a varicocele, there are really no symptoms.
Once upon a time infertility was considered to be a purely female problem. In fact, it’s now known that in some 40-50% of cases men are either wholly or partially responsible.
To fertilise an egg, sperm need to be the right shape, be able to move swiftly and in a straight line, and there needs to be enough of them. The seminal fluid also needs not to be too thick
In fact, 2% of men have sub-optimal semen parameters – often low concentration, poor motility poor morphology or a combination of these.
Studies have shown both Chinese herbs and acupuncture can improve sperm health.
How sperm are produced
Men produce sperm continually – several million a day, under the influence of testosterone.
They are made in tightly coiled tubes called seminiferous tubules – 300 metres of them per testicle. The newly produced sperm gradually move along the production line to an area called the epidydimis where they mature, learn how to swim. and wait their turn to be ejaculated.
Semen, the fluid that carries the sperm into the vagina at ejaculation. is composed of fluids from the prostate and several other ‘accessory’ glands. This milky fluid activates the sperm and provides energy for their perilous journey to meet up with an egg..
Disturbances in any of these processes can result in poor sperm test results and difficulty conceiving.
Semen analysis parameters
| Parameter | Normal value | Parameter | Normal value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sperm count | 15M/ml | Motility | 60% motile sprm |
| Total motile sperm | 20M (for ICSI) | WBCs | 1M WBCs/ml |
| pH | 7.2-7.8 | Liquefaction | 20-60 minutes |
| Morphology | 4% sperm normal | Volume | 2-5 ml |
| Colour | Greyish-white | Fructose level | 13 micro-mol |
Things that affect men's fertility
It seems that 30% of male fertility problems have no known cause. However, there are some medical conditions and some lifestyle factors that are known to affect it. Leaving out inherited problems these include
Physical issues
- Testicular trauma
- Varicocele (varicose veins of the testicles)
- Blockages
- Infections
- Hormone (endocrine) problems
- Sexual dysfunction
Lifestyle issues
- Stress
- Unhealthy lifestyle factors
- Environmnental toxins
- Aging
- Diet and nutrition
- X rays
- Some medcations
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine for men's fertility
A Chinese diagnosis is based on .constellations of signs and symptoms. Although it will take into account semen analysis results and any other salient western diagnoses,. it always talks in terms of energetic imbalances.. For example you may be told you have kidney deficiency or spleen deficiency with damp, or liver qi stagnation.
Having decided where the problem lies, treatment would be either acupuncture or herbal medicine.
For those of of you who like to see some western view of effectiveness, a study by Pei et al, showed regular acupuncture to improve sperm quality, as did another study from Israel.
Both acupuncture and herbs can improve hormone levels and blood flow to the testicles and affect the quality, morphology and motility of sperm and speed of liquefaction. Varicoceles (varicose veins on the testicles) also respond well to treatment.
Here is a recent literature review from Frontiers in Endocrinology..
All herbs have multiple actions. Many of the herbs used for sperm and infertility disorders have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can improve blood flow and balance hormones.
It’s also important to make sure you eat well to support sperm production and quality. Although it can be helpful to take certain supplements, this should always be against a background of a good diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, fish, oils and whole grains to provide the necessary vitamins and minerals.
When you come for treatment, I always discuss how your eating habits and lifestyle may be affecting your sperm.
If you’d like to find out if I can help you with your fertility issues, please get in touch.
Taking control of your own fertility
As well as diet, there are lots of lifestyle issues that can affect the quality of sperm and semen.
Here are my Top Picks of things you can take control of to remove some of the obstacles to conception.
Self help for better sperm
- Make sure you eat plenty fresh fruit and veg
- Eat plenty fish - especially oily varieties
- STOP smoking and STOP street drugs - including cannabis
- The jury is out on vaping
- Keep your testicles cool - don't take long hot baths or wear tight trousers
- Don't keep your mobile phone in your pocket or use your laptop on your knee - be sensible!
- Be careful of anything that can injure your testicles - including cycling
- Keep alcohol to a (very) reasonable level
