Fertility-Pregnancy Blog Series

This is our 3^rd blog in our fertility-pregnancy blog series. In our last blog, we covered female infertility and in this one will discuss male infertility.

In may come as a surprise to many of us that about 50% of infertility cases are due to male factor. Male factor can be caused by many dysfunctions such as sperm disorders, anatomical abnormalities, hormonal disorders, immunological disorders, lifestyle choices, genetic disease, and others as well. Any of these causes can lead to several dysfunctions in the male reproductive system such as low sperm production, misshapen or immobile sperm, blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm, and other issues. The main symptom of male infertility is not being able to conceive. Other symptoms may include sexual dysfunction, pain or swelling of the testicular area, or decreased facial or body hair that may be a sign of a hormonal imbalance.

In order to be able to conceive, there must be healthy sperm being produced that are able to fertilize the female egg. This process relies on many aspects of the manufacturing and life of the sperm. These include:

•     being able to produce healthy sperm which stems from healthy reproductive organs, the production of testosterone and other hormones for the manufacturing of sperm    
• clear pathway for the sperm to move in
•  a healthy number of sperm-any count below 20 million sperm per milliliter in the semen is considered to be low
•   motility (movement) and morphology (shape) must be optimal

To have a clearer understanding of what the medical reasons may be that can lead to male infertility, it is also important to know exactly what the medical issue does to the reproductive journey:

·      varicocele- a swelling of the veins that drain the testicle; this may prevent cooling of the testicle, leading to low sperm count and fewer moving sperm

·      infection-some infections can interfere with sperm production; they may also cause scarring that blocks the passage of sperm

·      retrograde ejaculation-when semen enters the bladder during orgasm instead of exiting through the penis

·      lack of ejaculation-this may be caused by spinal cord damage or certain diseases; this causes an issue with ejaculation but not with the production of sperm

·      antibodies that attack sperm-anti-sperm antibodies that attack the sperm; this is seen often after a vasectomy

·      tumors-can affect the reproductive organs directly

·      chromosomal defects-can cause abnormal development of reproductive organs

·      certain medications-can impair sperm production

Along with the above listed medical causes, male infertility can be strongly impacted by environmental causes such as pesticides, heavy metal exposure, exposure to radiation or x-rays, overheating of the testicles (prolonged hot tub use), and prolonged bicycling. We can also look closely at lifestyle choices that can greatly affect male fertility. These include alcohol use, drug use, smoking, stress, vitamin deficiency, weight, and age.

When going in to have an evaluation with a Western practitioner, there are standard testing procedures that are done. These include a physical examination including medical history and a semen analysis. Other testing such as ultrasound, genetic testing, and others may de done if they are needed. Treatments may include medications, hormonal treatment, or surgery.

When we look at male fertility from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) viewpoint, we look at all aspects of the physical symptoms along with emotional and mental activity that play a role in our physical layers. In TCM, the various energies in our bodies are out of balance in some way that is related to male factor. We see these imbalances in the kidney yin and yang and also in the spleen qi. Another possible cause is a stagnation of damp-heat in the reproductive organs. In the situation of varicocele, we see a blood stasis pattern. These terms and descriptions may sound mysterious but basically they are how we talk about our hormones, tissues, and organs from a TCM perspective. Some common symptoms we see associated within TCM patterns are:

• ·      kidney yang deficiency: low back pain, aversion to cold, low libido
• ·      dampness heat: frequent urination, low abdominal pain, phlegmy cough

These signs along with other possible ones can easily and effectively be treated with TCM. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and nutritional recommendations have quick and impressive results for male factor symptoms. The way these work is by simply naturally adjusting the hormones that may be out of balance causing a symptom or by unblocking an area in the reproductive system that is hindering conception. The changes are seen quickly due to the fact of how many sperm are produced everyday-every (healthy) man produces about 85 million sperm per day. So, this gives us an idea of how many opportunities there are for our bodies to produce many, many healthy sperm. Along with acupuncture and herbs, we see great changes when specific supplements are added into a patient’s daily routine, such as zinc and antioxidants. Also, sleep and stress levels are important factors as well. We must have adequate sleep every night to allow for our housekeeping duties to be taken care of during those hours of each day, such as detoxification. Managing our stress levels has a positive effect on sperm production and conception. Meditation and relaxation techniques are wonderful tools to use to help our bodies physiologically manage stress.

TCM treatment is effectively used along with Western treatments or used alone to help support the reproductive system and producing healthy sperm.

Caroline Jung, MSOM, L.Ac.