Smoking, drinking alcohol, wearing tight pants, watching too much TV or placing a laptop on your body can all weaken sperm.
According to Dr. Tra Anh Duy, Men’s Health Center, there are many causes of reduced sperm quality such as genetics, the effects of some diseases (orchitis, prostatitis, chronic diseases). toxicity, cancer…), exposure to environmental toxins, daily lifestyle.
Below are habits that can reduce sperm quality, according to Dr. Duy.
Smoking and drinking alcohol
Scientists at the Aberdeen Fertility Center (Scotland) studied over 16,000 semen samples taken from 7,500 men over 13 years. They then warned about the clear harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco on sperm quality, recommending limiting alcohol and tobacco as much as possible.
Cigarette smoke contains many toxins including nicotine, aromatic substances of the benzene group, CO2… which can reduce the number and mobility of sperm. Alcohol and tobacco also damage DNA, increase the amount of mutated sperm, and reduce testosterone hormone levels, leading to reduced chances of conception.
Wearing pants that are too tight
Wearing jeans, nylon or too tight underwear increases the temperature in the private area. This leads to increased temperature in the testicles, directly affecting the quality and quantity of sperm.
Temperature increase also occurs in people who sit for a long time such as drivers, office workers, and pilots. People who work in professions often exposed to high temperatures are also likely to have reduced sperm quality, such as welders, metallurgists, blacksmiths, chefs…
Use a cell phone
Many studies show that heat and radiation emitted from mobile phones can reduce sperm motility by about 8.1%. The consequence is a reduction in the man’s fertility. This condition also occurs in people who put their cell phones in their pockets or wear them on their belt often.
Body weight
According to experts, people with a body mass index (BMI) of 24-35 have a 19-22% increased risk of reduced sperm quality compared to normal. People who are too thin, BMI less than 18.5, also reduce sperm production by up to 8.6%.
Take a hot bath
Bathing in hot water continuously for many days, many times or soaking in a hot bath at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or higher will increase the testicular temperature leading to varicocele. This is one of the main causes of infertility in men.
According to experts, whether hot bath or sauna, a temperature of about 34 degrees Celsius is most suitable.
Exercising too much
Exercising too much can reduce testosterone and sperm count. In particular, frequent cycling can lead to damage to the testicles and perineum, reducing the number of healthy sperm.
Place your laptop on your body
Many people have the habit of placing their laptop on their body for hours at a time. This is very dangerous because the heat of the laptop can increase the temperature of the testicles. When the testicles become too hot, they tend to produce less sperm.
Exposure to chemicals
According to experts, long-term exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium reduces sperm count. Some substances that have been reported to significantly affect sperm quality are herbicides (DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, PCPs, furan, dioxin), insecticides, and some hydrocarbons (toluene, ethyl benzene, benzene). , xylene…), preservatives, chemicals in construction materials…
Eat processed foods
Regularly eating processed meat is also one of the factors that affect sperm, sperm count can decrease by up to 30%.
Research shows that men who eat large amounts of processed meat have lower sperm quality, quantity and motility than men who eat fish.
Watching too much TV
Watching TV more than 20 hours a week can reduce sperm count by 44%. Therefore, instead of sitting and watching TV for hours, be more active, rest, and relax.