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Your Sexual Health Can Enhance Your Relationship

2008-04-17T22:51:00.002+08:00

Sexual health seems to be on everyone's mind these days and with good reason. Everyone wants to be healthy when it comes to sex; no one wants to think that they have problems with this most basic of human activities.

Many men, however, find themselves faced with serious sexual issues, such as erectile dysfunction and impotence. While most seek to hide what they think of as a deficiency, those who are able to communicate their issues find that help is a lot closer and a lot easier to find than they might have thought. Pills like Viagra and Cialis are there to help, however in some cases the side effects are worse than the problem.

Sex pills are sweeping airwaves and in
boxes; a new miracle product seems to arrive on the market every day. Some of these drugs are promised to be all-natural; many others are advertised to have lasting effects on penis size and sexual abilities. Most of these sex pills are not worth the paper that their advertisements are printed on, or effective enough to justify the use of an iota of bandwidth.

People are getting more information about their sexual health these days thanks to the overwhelming set of sexually transmitted diseases that are now sweeping the nation. Diseases such as: AIDS/HIV, and syphilis which can actually kill you and diseases that cannot really be treated like genital warts and herpes are running rampant these days. Even though there is much information available about these diseases, many people are newly diagnosed every year.

It seems as though the onset of knowledge and resources has not deterred people in the 18-24 age bracket from engaging in unprotected sexual activity. Too many people seem to live under the belief that these diseases will not reach them. If the diseases are not fatal most people do not care about getting infected. Right now, the only prevention method for sexually transmitted diseases is latex condoms. With this in mind, it is a wonder that more people do not just take the extra few minutes out of their day to use one. Every year thousand of people die from AIDS; you would think that this would be a wake up call for those who know what AIDS can do.

Enhancing your relationship can be easy, but you have to be responsible in your sex life if it is to be enhanced. If you have or have had an STD in the past, you have to be sure that you are keeping up to date with your physician. Your sexual health is a very important aspect of your sex life. Protection is important in making your relationship better. With all of the potential problems that are out there these days, you just cant be too careful.

This article is by Abbas Abedi

10 tips to prevent Erectile dysfunction-ED

2008-04-15T10:18:00.002+08:00

Erectile dysfunction has been with us for ages causing problems for men (and also their partners) around the world. ED is a repetitive inability to achieve or maintain an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse.

As men get older the occurrence of erectile dysfunction increases. Approximately 5% of 40-year-old men and between 15 and 25% of men over 65 experience erectile dysfunction. Alone in the USA more than 15 million men suffer from ED. But it doesn't have to be solely related to age.

You can prevent erectile dysfunction by changing your lifestyle slightly. This is the "easiest" way that will cost you nothing but strong will, although it takes longer until the results occur. Abide by the rules below and you will have the chance to build a healthier life overall not just to prevent ED.

Just follow these simple steps:

-Exercise regularly. According the Harvard Health Professionals Follow-up Study found that men who do some exercise 3 to 5 hours a week face 30% less risk of having ED. Regular exercising keeps your heart fit and also maintains the normal blood circulation (especially walking, running, biking).

-Stop smoking. Smoking causes narrowing of blood vessels, blockages occur that affect the required blood flow in the penis thus making the erection more difficult.

-Reduce the excessive consumption of alcohol. Avoid drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day if you are a man or more than one alcoholic drink per day if you are a woman. Alcohol has a significant impact on your nervous system and it also damages your blood vessels thus affecting the sexual function. The same goes for drug abuse.

-Get appropriate nutrition. Try to avoid foods that contain saturated fats (cholesterol) and sodium. The best option would be a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains. You should concentrate on a diet that is friendly to you heart as ED is often related to circulation problems.

-Maintain sexual activity. Actually, it is a matter of frequent erections that stimulate flow of blood in the penis.

-Control your stress and fatigue. Although this is not an easy task you should try to manage your stress, which belongs to one of the most important psychological causes of ED.

-Get sufficient sleep. Without sleeping long enough your body will be under stress and anxiety for the rest of the day and if this persists a longer period, the stress will definitely have an effect on the proper function of the penis. 8 hours of sleep a day should be fine with adults.

-Start doing Kegel exercises. This is a simple exercise usually performed by pregnant women. To perform such exercise you will have to tighten and release the pelvic muscles, which are responsible for the control of urination.

-Take care of your anxiety and depression. To get rid of depression or anxiety it is best to seek a doctor's help.

-Regularly check your blood sugar. Optimal blood sugar levels may prevent the complication of blood vessels and nerves that usually cause erectile dysfunction. Ask your doctor for advice.

If you lack strong will or you want to get results instantly you can try to buy Cialis online. However, Cialis or other impotence drugs do not cure the initial causes of erectile dysfunction, they help you to be more self-confident during your sexual activities, though.

But talk to your doctor first if you feel you might have problems with maintaining an erection or you would like to try out some of the erectile dysfunction medications.

This article is by Ali

Herbal Viagra for Lasting Longer in Bed

2008-04-14T09:46:00.002+08:00

Perhaps no other drug in the entire history of humankind has achieved as much fame (and at the same time, notoriety) as Viagra. Targeted at curing impotency, this drug “developed by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer“ has achieved almost cult status, with sales of over hundreds of thousands of pills everyday around the globe. The success of Viagra itself speaks volumes about how prevalent impotency is among men all over the world.

However, ancient sciences like Ayurveda and Unani have been known and practiced several natural medicines for treating impotence since centuries, and that too with positive results. These therapies are herbal, and most of them have been proven for their efficacies in the western world too.

But before going into details of the natural treatment options available for impotence, let us see what the real Viagra does. Viagra is the trade name for the drug sildenafil citrate. When it is consumed, it helps the blood flow to focus better on the corpus cavernosa of the penis. The corpus cavernosa is composed of several spongy tissues. When these spongy tissues are engorged with blood, the penis becomes hard, which is the state of erection. Thus, Viagra brings about a temporary erection by filling the corpus cavernosa with blood.

There are some disadvantages when a person consumes Viagra. One of the most important ones is that Viagra needs to be continuously used to obtain an erection. No Viagra, no erection. And those who use Viagra know how expensive the little blue pill is! Health-wise, Viagra can produce explained common colds, headaches and dyspepsia. Sometimes, Viagra can produce embarrassing prolonged erections. Prolonged use of Viagra can cause loss of peripheral vision and also total blindness. There have also been cases known of men suffering from heart attacks when having sexual intercourse under the effect of Viagra. Hence, the medical fraternity has always maintained that Viagra is a potentially harmful drug.

This has led both medical experts as well as users to keep seeking for alternatives to Viagra. This has made the herbal supplements ever more popular. The sudden interest of the western world in the Ayurvedic herbs and supplements for the treatment of impotence is due to the success of the Viagra. Before that most men were learning to cope up with their conditions of impotence.

However, now that we know that several herbal supplements exist for the treatment of Viagra, let us see how they affect the male penis. All these are carefully made preparations by mixing just the right amounts of several herbs and then carrying out several intricate processes for blending them. Since the name Viagra has become so common, these preparations are called as herbal Viagras in slang, though they have nothing to do with Viagra. Viagra is a chemical drug, herbal Viagras are made of herbal constituents.

But just like the original Viagra, the herbal Viagras work in two ways:

(i) they improve the circulation of blood to the penis

(ii) they alter the hormones so that the male has better libido.

Herbal supplements are used for the treatment of not just impotence, but several other male sexual problems such as weak libidos, penis curves, penis enlargement, premature ejaculation, etc.

The important herbal constituents used in herbal Viagras are Panax ginseng (Indian Ginseng), Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Avena sativa (Oats), Muira puama (Potency Wood), Lepidium meyenii (Maca), Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo), Tribulus terrestris (Caltrop) along with scores of other herbs. The first thing that these herbs do is to improve the circulation of blood in the region of the penis, which causes harder and more permanent erections. One more important function is to improve the male sexual hormone, testosterone, which helps in increasing the male libido and also to make the man perform the sexual act better. Some of these herbs can have antidepressant properties, which are very much beneficial in the treatment of men who are suffering from problems pertaining to weak erections.

In the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, there is a whole list of more herbs which are used in the preparation of herbal Viagras. These are different from the above herbs, in the sense that they are used almost exclusively for the treatment of impotence. Some of these herbs are the dong quai, kava, blessed thistle, black cohosh, golden seal, etc. These are the same herbs that are used in the enhancement of breasts in females.

In recent times, a particular substance called as yohimbine has gained a lot of popularity in the treatment of male sexual problems. Yohimbine is extracted in its hydrochloride form from the tree Pausinystalia yohimbe, indigenous to West Africa. Yohimbine hydrochloride has been proved to generate better and more sustained erections in men. It is being widely used nowadays in alternatives to Viagra. Some Ayurvedic supplements are using yohimbine in their preparations.

Herbal Viagras are made by carefully mixing specific herbs like those mentioned above in the proper proportion. They might be mixed in some oils, or burnt into ash, or molten into a semi-liquid semi-solid kind of preparation, or prepared in some other way. The basic intention is to make the best use of the chemicals present in the herbs. The herbal Viagras are generally to be taken with milk.

Since the herbal Viagras contain more than one herb in them, one major plus point becomes that a single preparation can be used to treat several male sexual problems at once. Also, since they are made of natural herbs, they do not have major side effects like the real Viagra does.

But some precautions need to be taken. First and foremost, if you are suffering from hypotension, you need to ask an Ayurvedic doctor whether you can have the herbal Viagra. Some people claim that since herbal Viagras alter the hormonal balance of the body, they are potentially harmful. This is true indeed if the herbal Viagras are taken for a long time. There may be interference with other hormone-driven activities of the body. Some components of the herbal Viagras can also cause depression, dyspepsia, headaches, common colds, etc. when used separately. However, whether they can cause the same effects in their mixture form or not is yet to be studied properly.

For these reasons, the use of herbal Viagras are also considered skeptically by medical experts. However, the general idea is that they are much safer than the natural Viagras and more usable for a wide number of people.

This article is by Dr. John Hardy

Masturbation - Don't Be Afraid to Masturbate

2008-04-13T09:55:00.002+08:00

Many psychologists and researchers have discovered that masturbation can be, and is, a positive addition to one's personal and sexual life.
However there are many taboo's related to masturbation and many feel it is something to be embarrassed about it. Let's however look at the facts.

As a common subject, masturbation needs no particular explanation, but most dictionaries describe it as manual stimulation of the genital organs (of yourself or another) for sexual pleasure. In many countries and cultures, masturbation has been either prohibited or highly discouraged, as in Islam. In some countries it was even a capital offense!

Masturbation is common.
It must be noted that along with sexual intercourse masturbation is the most common sexual practice. Most people are able to achieve orgasm solely by masturbation and without sexual intercourse.
It has also been well documented that masturbation is common in many mammalian species, both in the wild and in captivity.

Masturbation is safe.
Where safe sex is an issue, or that of pre-marital sex (without penetration), and other means of abstinence, masturbation provides a sure method of eliminating all risk. The French have known this for centuries, and it is part of their sexual context. Also, mutual masturbation is gaining popularity among the young school-age childrenâ€¦in response to education about AID and pregnancy prevention.

Masturbation Techniques.
There are both female and male techniques to masturbation, and both are very specific. For men, it is very interesting to note that an Australian research published a medical study which concluded that frequent masturbation by males may help prevent the development of prostate cancer.
As a negative, and worth noting, very frequent masturbation can lead to reduced interest in further sexual activity, tiredness and other unwanted side-effects. However, these negative qualities to masturbation tend to make frequent masturbation self-limiting for almost all men and women.
There is also compulsive masturbation, and this is considered as a sexual anomaly, and medical help is often required to stop it.

Masturbation history.
Taken historically, masturbation has a colorful past. The Egyptians held that the entire universe was created by the God ATUN masturbating and then ejaculating. The ancient Greeks held it a perfectly natural sexual activity.
This is however quite unlike the modern Greeks who hold that masturbating makes you stupid, and the Greek work malakas (from malakia = masturbation) is the word for a stupid person, an insult, and prevalent in the everyday speech of all Greek people.
In ancient China, masturbation was also commonplace, and considered an acceptable activity, except masturbating to ejaculation. This was discouraged, as they believed it sapped your vitality.
This thought was mirrored in 18th and 19th century Europe (and America), and lasted well into the 20th century. In fact, in the 19th and early 20th century, this thought of masturbation was considered an illness or perverted activity, and not only discouraged, but forbidden.
Today, most outmoded beliefs (except in some Islamic countries, where masturbation is considered as Haraam = forbidden) and only in some circumstances.
One well-known and respected Islamic scholar has written that "Masturbation may be permissible so that men and women have a healthy knowledge of their own bodies, and so that they may be able to communicate with their marital partner about their sexual needs.' So even in very strict and rigid cultures, masturbation can be acceptable.

Masturbation your not alone.
Statistics also show that an overwhelming amount of both men and women masturbate or have masturbated in their lives. Be it the subject of humor, or literature, or religion, masturbation appears to be a common human activity and condition.
It must be mentioned that the Catholic church still holds masturbation to be a sin, and there is much controversy over this and other dogmatic principles of the Catholic church.
Do not be afraid then to masturbate, should you be in a situation or condition where it is preferable to abstention. Masturbation can relieve depression and anxiety, and even give some people a more self-confident image of themselves.

This article is by Sacha Tarkovsky

Semen Taste How To Get Better Tasting Sperm

2008-04-12T08:30:00.003+08:00

Your semen taste is reflected directly in what you eat and affects the taste of your sperm. Semen and sperm should be seen like your body's secretions such as sweat, saliva, urine.
What you put into your body is therefore going to affect the taste of your sperm and semen. This article will look at how to get a better taste and smell for your ejaculate.

What influences sperm and semen taste?
Your semen and sperm taste comes from the following ingredients:
Protein, ammonia, ascorbic acid citric acid, fructose, sodium, chloride, phosphates,
calcium, carbon dioxide, cholesterol, prostaglandins, creatine, and other substances produced by the body.
What goes in comes out
While each person is unique, it is obvious that what you put into your body comes in all secretions from sweat to ejaculate.
There are some general diet tips that can be followed to make semen and sperm taste and smell better.
There is no shortcut
Many techniques or supplements that claim to alter the flavor of semen aim to increase the amount of sugars in it, and disguise the salty bitter taste, however they don't work, you need to make simple diet changes.

What is the key to better tasting semen?
The key to better tasting sperm is to eat naturally and avoid preservatives and also stay clear of:
Alcohol, Cigarettes and any form of recreational drugs.
Avoid junk food and foods with lots of preservatives and cut down on the diary products.
You should limit foods that break down into strong tasting or smelling chemicals.
Fruits and most vegetables are good, but some are definitely not recommended.
For example asparagus, onions and garlic contain high amounts of sulfur and vegetables from the cabbage family, like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale all tend to make semen taste bitter.
If you like spicy dishes, like curries consider how unpleasant your sweat smells if you over indulge â€“ well keep in mind it does the same to your semen taste.
Eat your greens & drink more fruit juice!
A recent study concluded that vegetarians have better tasting semen (taking into account the vegetables you should avoid noted above) so get plenty of greens and fruit.
Also drink lots water (at least two liters a day) to flush out toxins from the body. Eating or drinking pineapple juice is strongly recommended as the best a way to make your semen sweeter.
Citrus fruits and cranberry juice are very good, as they make the body's pH more acidic, which helps to counteract the alkalinity of semen which gives it its salty, bleach taste.
All fruits juices and fruits have high sugar content, so make sure you eat and drink plenty. Other foods to consider
Parsley, wheatgrass, and celery are good for improving the taste of semen and sperm because of the high chlorophyll they contain.
Cinnamon, cardamom, peppermint and lemon are also great foods for better tasting semen.

Final words...
Of course, your diet should not be based around simply making your semen and sperm taste and smell better.
However, it is obvious from the above that by cutting down on some of the bad foods and eating the recommended ones, you will not only get better tasting sperm and semen, but the diet change is good for your overall health!

This article is by Sacha Tarkovsky

3 Proven Tips To Increase Your Sperm Production, Count, Quality And Motility

2008-04-09T22:49:00.001+08:00

The male factor in conception today is a significant one. Whereas our forefathers used to produce tons of healthy sperms and had no problems inpregnating their wives, the situation is vastly different now. Sperm volume and sperm count among men have been declining (at least in developed countries), contributing to a significant drop in birth rates.

Why this declining trend in male fertility levels? It could be due to stress, polution, chemicals in foods, etc but nobody knows for sure.

Whatever it is, it is good to know the following 4 factors that can affect male fertility and the possible solutions to correct them :-

1) Sperm count

Sperm count refers to the number of sperms per ejaculation. The average sperm count figures are around 50 million sperm in an ejaculation. Anything below this can be considered decreased male fertility.

2) Sperm motility

Sperm motility refers to the sperm's ability to move in a dynamic and rapid way. Sperms are considered healthy if over 50% of them are active and if more than 25% of them are moving rapidly in one direction. This sperm motility is important as sperms need to navigate through the viscous cervical canal, into the uterus and into the fallopian tubes to enter and fertilize the egg.

3) Sperm morphology
A healthy sperm cell looks like a tadpole in shape. The oval head of the sperm holds the genetic blueprint. The center provides energy and power. The tail is like a propeller that thrusts the sperm forward. Doctors believe that at least 50 % of the sperm in a semen sample should have oval heads and slightly curving tails to be considered healthy.

4) Sperm Volume

A higher sperm volume is crucial for improving the success rate of conception. Some causes of a reduction in sperm production are blockages in the sperm delivery system, injuries to the testicles, low or high hormone production, anatomical problems, varicocele, past illnesses, side effects of medications, etc.

While some of the above factors may need the attention of a specialist doctor (urologist), there are some things that you can do to help increase your male fertility.

Here 3 tips you should bear in mind :-

1) Increasing your sperm volume can help in increasing male fertility

Herbal supplements that contain amino acids and zinc are known to help in the healthy production of sperm. Amino acids can increase ejaculate fluid (semen) and the supplement zinc can improve the sperm count, sperm volume and the sperm motility.

2) Doing certain penis related (PC) exercises not only help you last longer in bed, they can also aid in increasing sperm volume. Several exercises can help to keep your penis in great shape and ejaculate like a champion too.

3) Living a healthy, stress-free, smoke-free lifestyle is beneficial to the production of healthy sperm cells too. So avoid drinking, smoking and other bad lifestyle habits

If you stick to these 3 ideas, then you can indeed increase your fertility score. There are lots of contents on the web where you can go and get more details.

I hope this article is a good start for you, though.

About the Author:
Gary T is the owner of http://www.AdultPenisGuide.com, a website dedicated to helping men improve their sexual prowess.

This article is taken from Articlesnatch.com

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2008-04-06T07:58:00.003+08:00

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Natural Supplements On Sperm Count Increment

2008-04-05T18:15:00.003+08:00

Natural Supplements To Increase Sperm Count

Male infertility is a frustrating problem for many couples. The most common form of male infertility is a low sperm count. While there are medical options, such as artificial insemination, that may overcome a low sperm count, there are things that couples can try before resorting to such an intervention. Among these measures includes the use of natural supplements.

There are several natural supplements that may assist with male infertility, including:

- Maca. Maca is an herb native to the Andes mountains. In addition to helping with a low sperm count, Maca is also thought to be an aphrodisiac.

- Carnitine and acetylcarnitine are nutrients that helps sperm motility.

- It is also thought that fish oils could help increase sperm volume.

A variety of other herbs may assist with low sperm count, including:

- Salabmisri (Orchis mascula)

- Kokilaksha (Hygrophila auriculata Syn. Asteracantha longifolia)

- Vanya Kahu (Lactuca scariola)

- Kapikachchu (Mucuna pruriens)

- Suvarnavang (Mosaic gold)

- Extracts Vriddadaru (Argyreia speciosa)

- Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) 64mg

-Jeevanti (Leptadenia reticulata)

- Shaileyam (Parmelia perlata) 32mg.

- Salabmisri (Orchis mascula)

- Kokilaksha (Hygrophila auriculata Syn. Asteracantha longifolia)

- Vanya kahu (Lactuca scariola Syn. L.serriola)

- Kapikachchhu (Mucuna pruriens)

- Suvarnavang (Mosaic gold)

- Extrs. Vriddadaru (Argyreia speciosa Syn. A.nervosa)

- Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris)

- Jeevanti (Leptadenia reticulata)

- Shaileyam (Parmelia perlata) 32mg.

There are also varieties of vitamin supplements that may assist with low sperm count. They include:

- Vitamin C

- Vitamin E

- Vitamin B12 Selenium

- Zinc Arginine

- Carnitine

There are several dietary measures that a man who has a low sperm count can take to attempt to increase his sperm count, including:

- Eat a diet that includes whole, unprocessed foods. The best foods for health in general, and also for sperm count problems, are whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

- Eliminate alcohol intake. In addition to the general nutritional benefits of avoiding alcohol, avoiding alcohol may also assist with sexual performance issues.

- Identify and avoid food allergies.

- Raw sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds have been shown to help with male fertility. It is recommended that a man with a low sperm count eat 1/4 cup of raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds each day.

- Drink at least 48 ounces of water every day.

- When possible, try to eat organic foods. Some studies suggest a connection between chemical fertilizers and pesticides with both male and female infertility.

This article is taken from Babyhopes.com

Some Methods On Improving Sperm Count

2008-04-05T18:12:00.002+08:00

Tips on Improving Sperm Count

Low sperm count, the leading cause of male infertility, can be temporary or permanent. Temporary reduction in sperm production is related to various causes like heavy duty cycling, exposure to extreme heat, ill fitting briefs, insomnia, performance pressure and emotional stress. All of these are causes of low sperm count in men. However, patients who suffer from this temporary low count can try out some helpful lifestyle changes to boost their sperm count. About six percent of males between the ages of fifteen and fifty struggle with infertility. Male infertility can be caused by a variety of problems.

Lifestyle Changes to improve low sperm count

Get regular exercise: While you should avoid vigorous training programs, regular and moderate exercise helps you maintain a healthy body weight, helps control stress, and gives you a healthier overall body.
Perform relaxation exercises: Since infertility and life in general can be stressful, learn to relax. Stress is sometimes responsible for certain infertility problems such as hormonal problems.
Maintain a healthy weight: Not too under or overweight since weight influences estrogen and testosterone levels.
Watch your body temperature: Avoid vigorous exercise, hot tubs, and saunas since they raise the body temperature and may cause changes in ovulation and reduced sperm count.
Check for exposure to heavy metals: Heavy metal toxins may affect ovulation. A hair analysis can determine exposure.
Take age into consideration: A man's fertility begins to decrease after he is thirty so take this into consideration when deciding when to have children.

Medical Help to improve low sperm count

When there is more semen than sperm, getting past the cervix is clearly a problem, since most sperm is in the first few drops of ejaculate. Men with poor sperm volume or viscosity are encouraged to withdraw from the vagina just after ejaculation starts. Or they may withdraw prior to ejaculation, collect their semen, and drop it off to a lab for the artificial insemination procedure.

Filtering - Spun-glass fibers are put into a syringe with the sperm, where the sperm are required to pass through the fibers. In theory, the dead sperm should stick to the filter and not make it through. This is a highly experimental procedure with unconfirmed success rates thus far.

Washing- Washing is a now a standard procedure in any IVF/GIFT-like procedure. The sperm are separated from the semen by being spun in what is called a centrifuge. This removes the proteins and enzymes that protect the sperm's head, enabling it to enter the petri dish or fallopian tube fully capacitated.

This article is taken from Babyhopes.com

Various Factors On Low Sperm Count

2008-04-05T17:40:00.002+08:00

Causes of Low Sperm Count

The leading cause of male infertility is low sperm count. Others may be low sperm motility, bad quality sperms, lack of semen. In general, most cases of male infertility are due to low sperm count. There are many biologic and environmental factors that can lead to low sperm count. Here is a list if conditions that may cause low sperm count in men.

Age

The effect of aging on male fertility is not clear, however, evidence is growing that it may be a factor. Fertilization rates are usually over 60% for men under 39 but for those over that age, the rates fell to slightly over half.

Temporary and Lifestyle Causes of Low Sperm Count

Nearly any major physical or mental stress can temporarily reduce sperm count. Some common conditions that lower sperm count, temporarily in nearly all cases, include the following:

1. Emotional Stress. Stress may interfere with the hormone GnRH and reduce sperm counts.

2. Sexual Issues. In less than 1% of males with infertility problems, a problem with sexual intercourse or technique will affect fertility.

3. Impotence, premature ejaculation, or psychologic or relationship problems can contribute to infertility, although these conditions are usually very treatable.

4. Lubricants used with condoms, including spermicides, oils, and Vaseline, can affect fertility. If you need a sperm friendly lubricant, the choice of many couples trying to get pregnant is Pre-Seed.

Testicular Exposure to Overheating.

Overheating (such as from high fever, saunas, and hot tubs) may temporarily lower sperm count. Work exposure to overheating may even impair fertility.

Substance Abuse

Cocaine or heavy marijuana use appears to temporarily reduce the number and quality of sperm by as much as 50%. Sperm actually have receptors for certain compounds in marijuana that resemble natural substances and which may impair the sperm's ability to swim and may also inhibit their ability to penetrate the egg.

Smoking.

Smoking impairs sperm count, sperm motility, reduces sperm lifespan, and may cause genetic changes that affect the offspring. Additionally, a 1999 study found that men who smoke have lower sex drives and less frequent sex.

Malnutrition and Nutrient Deficiencies.

Deficiencies in certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, selenium, zinc, and folate, may be particular risk factors for low sperm count in such cases.

Obesity.

Some studies, but not all, have found an association between obesity in men and low sperm count.

Bicycling.

Bicycling has been linked to impotence in men and also may affect the sperm count. Pressure from the bike seat may damage blood vessels and nerves that are responsible for erections. Mountain biking, which involves riding on off-road terrain, exposes the perineum (the region between the scrotum and the anus) to more extreme shocks and vibrations and increases the risk for injuries to the scrotum.

Genetic Factors

Genetic factors are proving to be important contributors to male infertility. Such genetic conditions may be inherited or caused by environmental assaults. Inherited disorders can genetically impair fertility.

Examples include the following:

Cystic fibrosis patients often have missing or obstructed vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm) and hence a low sperm count.

Klinefelter syndrome patients carry two X and one Y chromosomes (the norm is one X and one Y), which leads to the destruction of the lining of the seminiferous tubules in the testicles during puberty, although most other male physical attributes are unimpaired.

Kartagener syndrome, a rare disorder that is associated with a reversed position of the major organs, also includes immotile cilia (hair-like cells in lungs and sinuses that have a structure similar to the tails of sperm). Germ cells may also be affected by this condition.

Environmental Assaults

Over exposure to environmental assaults (toxins, chemicals, infections) can reduce sperm count either by direct effects on testicular function or on the hormone systems, although the extent of the effect and specific environmental assaults involved are often controversial. Some chemicals that affect sperm production men are : Oxygen-Free Radicals, Estrogen emulation pesticidal chemicals (DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, PCPs, dioxins, and furans ), plastic softening chemicals like Phthalates, hydrocarbons (ethylbenzene, benzene, toluene, and xylene)

Exposure to Heavy Metals.

Chronic exposure to heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, or arsenic may affect sperm production and most often cause a reduced production in otherwise healthy males. Trace amounts of these metals in semen seem to inhibit the function of enzymes contained in the acrosome, the membrane that covers the head of the sperm.

Radiation Treatment.

Radiation treatments and x-rays affect any rapidly dividing cell, so cells that produce sperm are quite sensitive to radiation damage. Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production, and, in severe circumstances, may never recover.

Low Semen Levels

A reduced amount of ejaculated semen (less than 0.5 milliliters per sample) may be caused by a structural abnormality in the tubes transporting the sperm.

Varicocele

A varicocele is a varicose vein in the cord that connects to the testicle. (A varicose vein is one that is abnormally enlarged and twisted.) Varicoceles are found in 15% to 20% of all men and in 25% to 40% of infertile men. It is not clear how they affect fertility, or even if they do at all.

This article istaken from Babyhopes.com