Male Infertility: Exploring Causes, Impacts, and Recommendations

This essay examines male infertility, a significant health issue affecting many couples globally. It explores the various risk factors, including lifestyle choices such as smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, and psychological stress, detailing their adverse effects on sperm production, motility, and overall semen quality. The essay also investigates environmental factors like exposure to chemicals and heavy metals, emphasizing their detrimental impact on the male reproductive system. It highlights the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle choices, reducing environmental exposure, and seeking medical attention for early diagnosis and management of infertility. The essay concludes by emphasizing the increasing prevalence of male infertility and the need for proactive measures to address this growing concern.

Running Head: MALE INFERTILITY
Male Infertility
Student’s Name
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Male Infertility
Introduction
Male infertility is a health issue which affects nearly 10-15% of couples lowering the
chances of a man getting their female partners pregnant. Over one third infertility cases which
are reported across the globe, men are the problem. This mostly happens due to his sperm
production or delivery. The main sign that a man is infertile is his inability to sire a child
(Agarwal et al., 2015). They may also have a reduced sexual desire as well as difficulties in
maintaining an erection. Another sign a man may experience is pain, swelling, and a lump
around the testicle area. Some of the recommended treatment techniques which are supported
include minor outpatient surgery which is also known as varicocelectomy (Jungwirth et al.,
2015).
Causes and Impacts of Male Infertility
Lifestyle is a significant risk factor for male infertility. Lifestyle factors and ways of life a
person leads can significantly affect the overall health and well-being of an individual, including
infertility. Some of the significant lifestyle factors which can lead to male infertility include
nutrition, psychological stress, exercise, drug abuse, smoking, and caffeine consumption.
Tobacco smoking is hazardous when it comes to reproduction. Tobacco contains an element
called carcinogen, which adducts with DNA causing mutations. According to Kumar & Singh,
(2015), men who smoke tobacco have shown decreased sperm count, sperm motility, and an
increased number of abnormal sperms with low testosterone levels. Poor lifestyle can also lead to
someone taking foods which are low in nutritional level. This can lead to chronic infections such
as obesity which increases the risks of reproductive problem. A meta-analysis study which

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involved 13077 participants indicates that men who are overweight or obese have reduced sperm
production and concentration compared to the one with standard weights. Consumption of
alcohol which is also under lifestyle lowers testosterone levels and can even cause impotence. A
study carried out which involved 29 914men reported a significant association between alcohol
and low sperm count.
Psychological stress is significant part of any community and male infertility itself is
stressful due to factors such as social pressures, treatments and diagnosis failure, economic cost
and unfulfilled pressures which are associated with it. The semen limitations are directly linked
to psychological stress and its presence reduces luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone
pulsing which in turn reduces sperm production and quality. Various studies carried out also
indicates that several men undergoing infertility treatment across the globe have shown a great
decline in semen parameters. However, it has been difficult to differentiate if it is associated with
stress which comes after someone has been diagnosed with fertility issues. A meta-analysis of 57
studies which involved 29,994 indicates that stress lowers sperm production and quality
Impacts of Lifestyle Factor on Male Infertility
Lifestyle factor is associated with several impacts on male infertility. People tend to
adopt various lifestyles which may be harmful and dangerous to their health even though some
lifestyle is beneficial to human health. Lack of exercise which is a result of a busy lifestyle lead
by some people, can lead to reproduction problems such as impotence (Ko, Sabanegh Jr, &
Agarwal, 2014). Lack of exercise also leads to obesity in men which can significantly affect the
production, movement, and structure of sperms. Most men who spend many hours sitting in front
of a computer may encounter infertility issues. This is because sitting leads to a temperature

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increase in scrotum and testes affecting sperm production. Acute stress impairs testicular
function. Stressed men shows lower levels of sperm production and quality.
Recommendations
People need to adopt a healthy lifestyle which may not lead them to some health
complications such as infertility. It is recommendable to take part in physical exercises to avoid
cases of impotence. People should also ensure that they take nutritious food to avoid becoming
overweight or obese, which can significantly affect the production of sperms.
Environmental Factor and Male Infertility
Environmental factors are another leading cause of male infertility. This is because
human beings are prone to several exogenous and environmental chemicals as they carry out
their day to day activities. Expansion of chemical factories in both developed and 3rd world
nations led to the release of toxic chemicals such as xenobiotic into the surroundings. The
reproductive system of males is susceptible to these environmental elements (Ma et al., 2016).
Environmental hazards to the male reproductive system were revealed 30 years ago when several
male working in pesticide manufacturers companies severely suffered from impaired
spermatogenesis resulting into infertility. Some of these molecules known to cause male
infertility includes pesticides, preservatives, cleaning materials, heavy metals, and free radicles.
In a meta-analysis study which involved 400 men workers in a lead and metal company, high
levels of lead in the blood was observed which was accompanied by reduced number of birth
rate. This happened because men working in this kind of companies have reduced sperm count.

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Impacts of Environmental Factors
These environmental factors have adverse impacts on the male reproduction system.
People are exposed to these environmental factors such as heavy metals through the intake of
contaminated water and food as well as been in contact with infected water and soil (Juul et al.,
2014). Heavy metals include lead, mercury, and cadmium and can adversely affect male
reproductive system causing infertility through hypothalamic disruption, which directly affects
spermatogenesis resulting in impaired semen quality. The high concentration of lead in the body
is associated with a decline in sperm production. Men who have a high level of cadmium in the
seminal plasma have decreased sperm production, and 36% of the total number of sperms
produced are motile. Exposure to other environmental factors such as pesticides impacts various
organs in the body, including the reproductive system. These substances increase the risk of
having low sperm count, abnormal sperm structure, and viability, which is affected by
organophosphoruses (Wright, Milne & Leeson, 2014). Pesticides also affect the male
reproductive system by reducing the weight of testes, ventral prostate, epididymis, and seminal
vesicle.
Recommendations
Exposure to these environmental factors can be reduced by ensuring that companies use
the appropriate waste disposal mechanisms to avoid polluting the environment and also exposing
people to health hazards. People, especially those working in companies which deal with the
production of these harmful substances should always ensure they are in safety garments.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, male infertility is becoming a threat across the globe. This is because cases
of infertile men in the community have increased. This is caused by lifestyle factors such as lack
of exercise, poor nutrition, smoking, and alcohol consumption. These factors lead to changes in
sperm production, viability, and structure. Men with fertility issues experience several symptoms
which include inability to make their spouses pregnant, reduced sexual drive, pain, and swelling
around the testicle area. It is significant to recognize these signs early and seek medical attention
because some of these conditions are manageable.

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References
Agarwal, A., Mulgund, A., Hamada, A., & Chyatte, M. R. (2015). A unique view on male
infertility around the globe. Reproductive biology and endocrinology, 13(1), 37.
Barnes, L. W. (2014). Conceiving masculinity: Male infertility, medicine, and identity. Temple
University Press.
Jungwirth, A., Diemer, T., Dohle, G. R., Giwercman, A., Kopa, Z., Krausz, C., & Tournaye, H.
(2015). Guidelines on male infertility. Eur Urol, 62, 324-332.
Juul, A., Almstrup, K., Andersson, A. M., Jensen, T. K., Jørgensen, N., Main, K. M., ... &
Skakkebæk, N. E. (2014). Possible fetal determinants of male infertility. Nature Reviews
Endocrinology, 10(9), 553.
Ko, E. Y., Sabanegh Jr, E. S., & Agarwal, A. (2014). Male infertility testing: reactive oxygen
species and antioxidant capacity. Fertility and sterility, 102(6), 1518-1527.
Kumar, N., & Singh, A. K. (2015). Trends of male factor infertility, an important cause of
infertility: A review of literature. Journal of human reproductive sciences, 8(4), 191.
Ma, W., Li, S., Ma, S., Jia, L., Zhang, F., Zhang, Y., ... & Liu, M. (2016). Zika virus causes testis
damage and leads to male infertility in mice. Cell, 167(6), 1511-1524.
Wright, C., Milne, S., & Leeson, H. (2014). Sperm DNA damage caused by oxidative stress:
modifiable clinical, lifestyle and nutritional factors in male infertility. Reproductive
biomedicine online, 28(6), 684-703.

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