Behavior and environmental factors can have a huge impact on men’s fertility. Studies have indicated factors including health issues, alcohol consumption, marijuana usage, aluminum exposure, and cell phone radiation can be detrimental to sperm health. Renowned Austin based Reproductive Urologist, Dr. Parviz Kavoussi, provides some tips for men who want to improve their fertility:
1. Lower health risk factors: high blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
Many of the health issues we see associated with male infertility include high blood pressure, elevated blood sugars, and elevated cholesterol levels. It’s not uncommon for these factors to be associated with obesity as well. There is a great deal of data showing the adverse effect of obesity on male fertility. The question is what causes what? Continuous research and future studies is required to determine if a man’s fertility increases when health risk factors improve.
2. Minimize aluminum exposure.
A lot of harsh environmental factors tend to have a bad impact on sperm. Aluminum appears to be one of them, so minimizing aluminum exposure may be helpful.
3. Decrease alcohol intake.
Multiple studies have shown that alcohol can be bad for sperm parameters. Most of these studies show that low to moderate alcohol intake does not have as much of a significant effect as higher amounts of alcohol intake does on sperm parameters.
4. Stop using marijuana.
Multiple studies have shown an adverse impact of marijuana on sperm. I see this impact on men frequently in clinical practice and am typically impressed by how much sperm parameters can improve once a man ceases marijuana use.
5. Stop storing cell phone in your front pocket.
Cell phones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation which has been shown to have a bad impact on a man’s fertility. A recent metanalysis, combining data from 10 studies on this topic, revealed that sperm motility (the ability of sperm to swim) drops by 9% in men with high exposures to cell phones and sperm viability drops by 8% in these men. This typically means that if a man has excellent fertility, it probably won’t have a significant enough effect to make him infertile, but if a man has borderline infertility, it could drop him into an infertile range. The safe answer when a couple is struggling to conceive is to keep the cell phone out of the front pocket.
6. Lower your stress.
Until recently, it was not thought that stress significantly worsened fertility, but recent studies suggest that it may. This is primarily due to hormonal changes at times of great stress.
Board certified in Urology and fellowship trained in Reproductive Urology/Andrology, Dr. Kavoussi provides a variety of treatment plans for male infertility including vasectomy reversals.
Call (512) 444-1414 or contact the office online to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kavoussi.
