Damage to the DNA tightly packed inside sperm may contribute to 40 percent of male infertility. But the good news is that men may be able to overcome this.
Scientists are getting closer to understanding the causes of male infertility. According to a study published in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online, damage to the DNA in sperm occurred among 40 percent of study participants, who were couples receiving in-vitro fertility treatments. Research also has found that sperm damage is responsible for an estimated 80 percent of previously unexplained cases of male infertility. But there are steps men can take to reduce that sperm damage, such as quitting smoking.
Eighty percent of men who previously were unexplained, we've now got a cause. Once you find a diagnosis, you can do something. Sperm is a tightly wrapped packet of DNA with a tail attached and a single goal: Get to the egg and fertilize it to make a baby. Being able to swim and having good DNA are the only things that matter.
Usually when men's sperm is tested during fertility work-ups, doctors check for how healthy the sperm look under a microscope, how many there are in a given space, and how well they move. These are important factors, but Lewis says that this data doesn't correlate all that well with live births. Because of that, she and her colleagues have spent the better part of a decade looking for more in-depth information about sperm that could help predict the success of conception and live births.
Instead of results that tell you what portion of your total sperm count isn't behaving well enough for fertility, Lewis and her colleagues developed the SpermComet assay, a test that unravels the DNA packet inside sperm and reveals the amount of damage in each one. All men have some level of damage in some sperm, and most of the time, it is not enough to affect fertility. The cutoff point, after which the sperm are too damaged for fertility, is about 25 percent damaged. Not only do these damaged sperm reduce the odds of conception, but they also increase the chances of miscarriage if conception does occur.
What to Do About DNA Damage
Unlike other cells that contain DNA, sperm do not replicate or make repairs. But Lewis points out that because men are continuously making new sperm, sperm quality can be improved in about two months if you stop the behaviors that can damage it.
Smoking is probably the number one cause of DNA damage. Alcohol abuse and recreational drug use also damage sperm DNA. If you can quit smoking, cut back on alcohol and give up recreational drugs such as marijuana, there's a good chance that sperm will be less damaged 70 days later. Talk with your physician about other possible causes of DNA damage to help identify other steps you can take to improve the odds of conception and live birth.
Other Causes of Male Infertility
Researchers have found that about half of couples' infertility cases are because of male infertility alone, yet the exact male infertility causes are still being investigated. Sperm damage is one factor, but other possible explanations include:
The question of what causes infertility is so wide open that occasionally rumors of culprits like laptops or cell phones can gain a frenzy of media attention without much data behind them. But, for at least some men, the new DNA-level testing should help uncover some facts about their own fertility and offer hope for conception.
Scientists are getting closer to understanding the causes of male infertility. According to a study published in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online, damage to the DNA in sperm occurred among 40 percent of study participants, who were couples receiving in-vitro fertility treatments. Research also has found that sperm damage is responsible for an estimated 80 percent of previously unexplained cases of male infertility. But there are steps men can take to reduce that sperm damage, such as quitting smoking.
Eighty percent of men who previously were unexplained, we've now got a cause. Once you find a diagnosis, you can do something. Sperm is a tightly wrapped packet of DNA with a tail attached and a single goal: Get to the egg and fertilize it to make a baby. Being able to swim and having good DNA are the only things that matter.
Usually when men's sperm is tested during fertility work-ups, doctors check for how healthy the sperm look under a microscope, how many there are in a given space, and how well they move. These are important factors, but Lewis says that this data doesn't correlate all that well with live births. Because of that, she and her colleagues have spent the better part of a decade looking for more in-depth information about sperm that could help predict the success of conception and live births.
Instead of results that tell you what portion of your total sperm count isn't behaving well enough for fertility, Lewis and her colleagues developed the SpermComet assay, a test that unravels the DNA packet inside sperm and reveals the amount of damage in each one. All men have some level of damage in some sperm, and most of the time, it is not enough to affect fertility. The cutoff point, after which the sperm are too damaged for fertility, is about 25 percent damaged. Not only do these damaged sperm reduce the odds of conception, but they also increase the chances of miscarriage if conception does occur.
What to Do About DNA Damage
Unlike other cells that contain DNA, sperm do not replicate or make repairs. But Lewis points out that because men are continuously making new sperm, sperm quality can be improved in about two months if you stop the behaviors that can damage it.
Smoking is probably the number one cause of DNA damage. Alcohol abuse and recreational drug use also damage sperm DNA. If you can quit smoking, cut back on alcohol and give up recreational drugs such as marijuana, there's a good chance that sperm will be less damaged 70 days later. Talk with your physician about other possible causes of DNA damage to help identify other steps you can take to improve the odds of conception and live birth.
Other Causes of Male Infertility
Researchers have found that about half of couples' infertility cases are because of male infertility alone, yet the exact male infertility causes are still being investigated. Sperm damage is one factor, but other possible explanations include:
- Genetic infertility
- Anatomical changes that make reproduction difficult
- Excessively hot environment, like a hot tub
- Bicycle or motorcycle riding
- Exposure to certain chemicals, such as pesticides
The question of what causes infertility is so wide open that occasionally rumors of culprits like laptops or cell phones can gain a frenzy of media attention without much data behind them. But, for at least some men, the new DNA-level testing should help uncover some facts about their own fertility and offer hope for conception.
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