Male Reproductive Health
At Perth Health and Fertility we commonly treat men looking to improve their fertility. Addressing sperm issues is essential to reduce time to conception. It takes approximately 3 months to make sperm and we use that time to address all aspects of male health that may be compromising quality and quantity of sperm. Erectile issues and low libido are also common fertility issues that we address in our quest to shorten time to conception. Many areas of health can have an impact on sperm that are often missed. Being overweight, having raised cholesterol, suffering depression are just some of the conditions that can affect a man’s fertility. At Perth Health and Fertility we take the time to understand and address causative factors that lie behind compromised fertility.
Sperm health is now universally recognised as being on the decline in Western countries. The findings of research published online July 25 in Human Reproduction Update ‘means an increasing proportion of men in western countries are dropping to subfertile or infertile classifications.’
“The high proportion of men from western countries with concentration below 40 million/ml is particularly concerning given the evidence that sperm concentration below this threshold is associated with a decreased monthly probability of conception,” the researchers write.
The findings have implications beyond fertility and are consistent with trends in testicular cancer, cryptorchidism, testosterone levels, and onset of male puberty, the authors note. Low sperm count has also been connected to overall morbidity and risk for death.
According to the researchers the decline in sperm count has been linked with environmental and lifestyle factors, including endocrine disruptors or mothers’ smoking during a key window of male reproductive development. Exposures to pesticides were also thought to play a role in the decline.
We see more and more men with fertility issues, whether it is an issue of sperm count, poor morphology, reduced motility or DNA fragmentation issues. Lifestyle and dietary factors are now recognised as playing a large role in the decline in male fertility in Western countries. The good news is that our Naturopathic Fertility specialists are trained to help our patients identify potential causative issues and how to address them.
Lifestyle factors such as;
- radiation exposure
- pollutants
- exposure to chemicals that increase oestrogen levels and in men and decrease testosterone levels
- pesticides, insecticides
As well as certain medications can have a major impact on sperm concentration and quality and can delay or prevent conception. Knowledge is power and our job is to empower our patients to a healthier lifestyle.
Our clinicians are trained in nutritional medicine and know which specific nutrients may be needed to improve different sperm parameters. Anna and Lisa have helped hundreds of Perth men overcome fertility issues and realise their dream of becoming fathers.