Acupuncture for Male Fertility
It is now understood that the causes of infertility are more evenly divided between men and women. Often there are lifestyle changes and nutritional support that can improve both egg and sperm production. Acupuncture treatments help your body regulate hormones and handle stress. They also improve your overall health. Fertility is really not possible without a balanced, healthy body. If you’re having trouble sleeping or feeling tired after you eat, or your energy is low all the time, these are signs you could benefit from acupuncture treatment.
For men, acupuncture can help improve:
- Sperm count and concentration – the number
- Sperm motility – how they move
- Sperm morphology – their shape. Abnormally shaped sperm can not swim or penetrate the egg properly or may carry the wrong genetic material, containing more than one set of DNA, for example.
- Seminal fluid – liquefaction time and viscosity, the thickness of the ejaculate that they swim in.
How can acupuncture help? Regular treatments lead to:
- Improved blood flow to the testicles – Bringing more nutrients and carrying away by-products.
- Decreased inflammation – Inflammation can interfere with sperm production. Bowel diseases, prostatitis and other conditions can cause inflammation in the lower abdomen and can be disruptive to sperm health.
- Lowered stress hormones – Stress hormones can have a negative impact on sperm production. A rise in prolactin, for example, results in lower testosterone, reduced sperm concentration and an increase in abnormal forms.
- Strengthened liver function – Acupuncture can help your body detox and reduce the effects of exposure to environmental toxins. These days, we are commonly exposed fertility-harming chemicals, such as heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates and parabens. These toxins can disrupt the normal male hormonal balance by mimicking estrogen, leading to decreased fertility.
- Improved metabolism and decreased stored body fat – Stored fat makes estrogen, which can throw off a man’s testosterone level. A large body mass can also generate too much heat around the testicles, which is bad for sperm. The National Institute of Health reports that there is an 10% increase in male infertility for every 20 lbs. of being overweight.
- Reduced stress – Acupuncture can help you better handle the challenges of fertility treatment. So you can be there for your partner as you both go through this together.
Weekly acupuncture sessions can help improve sperm parameters in only 2 to 3 months, so you can see results relatively soon. We will also give you recommendations on diet, exercise and other factors to help you have the healthiest swimmers possible!
We’re available to answer questions to help you learn how acupuncture can be helpful for you. Contact us here.
