Nutrition and Western Herbal Medicine
We see many men who have had abnormal sperm test results and work closely with them to ensure that they are doing everything possible to improve their sperm quality and quantity. Nutritional deficiencies of zinc, essential fats, vitamin E and vitamin C have been linked to low sperm quality and quantity, as have consumption of caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. In nutritional therapy, we use a questionnaire and your case history to determine if you may be lacking in any nutrients, as well as ensuring that you have all the necessary vitamins, minerals and fats in your diet and nutritional supplements to support the production of healthy, strong sperm. Many herbal remedies have a reputation for increasing sperm production and quality.
A hair mineral analysis, using a sample of head or pubic hair, will show any heavy metals that are present in your body eg mercury, cadmium, lead or aluminium as these can also affect the production of sperm in males.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
There can be many causes for abnormalities in a sperm analysis but the main cause in Chinese Medical terms is ‘Yang deficiency’, which in a man very broadly equates to an imbalance in the amount of testosterone in the body. Obviously this is a very complicated subject and there are other causes such as local ‘stagnation’ (i.e. varioceles). Many studies have shown the positive impact that acupuncture and Chinese herbs can have on sperm counts. The acupuncture points used are usually on the lower back and we might also use a warming herb called Moxa to reinforce the treatment.
It is important to remember that it takes around 70-90 days to create new sperm, so any changees you make in diet and lifestyle will take a minimum 3 months to bring about major changes in your sperm quality and quantity.
For more information on factors affecting male fertility see our Just For Men section.