[Medical Q&A] What bad lifestyle habits may affect male fertility?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Shang Xuejun, Chief Physician, General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command of PLA

Men's fertility is closely related to their living habits. Correcting the following bad living habits is very beneficial to improving men's fertility.

(1) Sitting for a long time: Sitting for a long time is currently the most common bad lifestyle habit. Sitting in the office, riding a bicycle or driving for a long time will not only affect the functions of the testicles, epididymis, prostate, and seminal vesicles, but will also directly affect the production and transportation of sperm, resulting in a significant decrease in the quality of semen and prostatic fluid.

(2) Staying up late for a long time and not getting enough sleep: If you stay up late for a long time and do not get enough sleep at night, it will disrupt your biological clock, endocrine system, and reduce your spermatogenesis ability.

(3) Smoking: Smoking can cause a decrease in sperm concentration and motility, and an increase in the rate of deformities. Nicotine and other substances in smoke can reduce the secretion of sex hormones, kill sperm, and directly affect sperm production.

(4) Alcoholism: Alcohol has a significant damaging effect on sperm concentration, vitality, viability, morphology and fertilization ability. Alcoholism can lead to alcohol poisoning, testicular atrophy, decreased libido, increased sperm deformity rate, and decreased total number and concentration.

(5) Unbalanced eating: A balanced diet can provide various nutrients necessary for sperm production, such as calcium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin E. Unbalanced eating can lead to a deficiency of these essential nutrients, resulting in a decrease in sperm quantity and quality.

(6) Like to take hot baths: The temperatures in hot springs, saunas, steam rooms, flint baths and other places are relatively high. Male testicles prefer coolness and are afraid of heat. If the scrotum is in a high temperature environment for a long time, it can lead to a decrease in sperm count. In severe cases, it can even lead to oligospermia or azoospermia, thereby damaging male fertility.

(7) Wearing tight clothes frequently: Tight clothes will bind the scrotum and perineum too tightly, causing poor blood circulation in reproductive organs such as the testicles and epididymis, and will make the testicles too close to the body, causing the testicle temperature to be close to body temperature, which is not conducive to sperm production. Tight clothes will also reduce the air permeability of the perineum, making it easy for bacteria to grow, leading to urogenital tract infections and affecting male fertility.