Testing It Up

You’ve probably heard a great deal about home fertility testing kits for women but were you aware there were also fertility test kits for men? Women aren’t the only ones who need accurate testing to verify where they are when they approach the idea of having children and many men can be self-conscious about asking to be tested by a doctor. An at home testing kit is a great way for men to be able to verify their fertility without feeling embarrassed or overexposed at the doctor’s office.

These newer tests made by Taiwanese scientists, measure the efficiency of sperm cells. Able to tell the sperms ability to reach an egg they offer the user a chance to verify the quality as well quantity (most at home tests of this type only test for the amount of sperm rather than how efficient they are) of sperm produced.

Male fertility tests work by taking a semen sample and testing it for the quantity of sperm cells in the fluid. This tells you how likely you may be to cause a pregnancy based on quantity. Tests that include the ability to gauge motility (the sperm cells ability to reach the egg) also tell you how strong that sperm cell is, verifying if a majority of the cells are weake despite a good quantity level.

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle released a study this week linking testicular cancer to marijuana use. It reveals the increased risk to the dreaded disease that marijuana users may be exposing themselves to.

This is based on data gathered from 369 men diagnosed with testicular germ cell tumors and 979 controls of the same age group that live in the same geographical region. The study indicated that if a man smoked weed at least once a week or exposes himself to hashish for a long period of time, his risk of contracting testicular cancer is twice that of someone who does not opt for the same kinds of indulgences.

The study also found that marijuana use and testicular cancer share the same side effects, which include a decrease in the quality of the sperm, a decrease in levels of testosterone, and impotence.

A normal, healthy male actually has a built-in protection from cancer for the reproductive system through his body’s production of a ‘cannabinoid-like chemical’. Marijuana use, however, puts that system out of whack as it turns an erstwhile protector against its own master, since it can reverse the chemical’s protective properties and cause it to work against the body instead. Weed is somehow associated with a malignant germ cell tumor called ‘nonseminoma’.

The results of the study have prompted more research into the long-term effects of marijuana. It has led to a whole new set of questions, according to Stephen Schwartz, a member of the Public Health Sciences Division at the Hutchinson Center. Schwartz further stresses that since there are very little known facts about the long-term effects of marijuana use – and, consequently, abuse – people, especially men, should think twice about smoking it, even recreationally. Doing so actually means taking a chance with one’s health.

An estimated 8,100 men may be diagnosed with testicular cancer and nearly 400 will most probably die from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Seattle Drug Screening

While the majority of factors that affect the inability for couples to conceive can be attributed to female deficiencies, almost 50% can be attributed to either male factors or a combination of factors from both partners. This is still a significant percentage, which is why male infertility still warrants the same attention and study as female infertility.

This month, the Southern Illinois University Medical School in Springfield opened a new fertility and in vitro fertilization center. The center boasts of the ability to provide holistic programs with the intention of finding ways to assist infertile couples. In addition to offering treatment programs designed to address female infertility as well as couples programs, the SIU Fertility and IVF Center also offers expertise in the field of male infertility.

Men who have been diagnosed as the cause of a couple’s inability to conceive have a number of treatment options at the center. These include drug or medicine-based therapy, non-surgical sperm aspiration, therapeutic testicular biopsy, intracytoplasmic sperm injection with IVF and vasectomy reversal.

Fertility medication, while common to women, is not as common or as effective in men. As little as 5% of males who take fertility drugs actually benefit from the therapy. Fertility drugs normally correct hormone imbalance, and it is for the same reason that these drugs are prescribed for men. Depending on the patient’s medical condition – such as unexplained infertility or low sperm count – therapy with gonadotropins, antiestrogen agents, bromocriptine and testosterone may be administered.

Testicular biopsy, while mainly used for diagnostic purposes, can also be used as a treatment method. Its techniques are applied for sperm retrieval to assist in conception.  If the patient prefers a non-invasive method of sperm retrieval, non-surgical sperm aspiration may be used instead. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which is used for in vitro fertilization, is the most common procedure used to overcome male infertility.

Sheer ignorance! That was my first reaction to a a small clipping by Metro news this wednesday which reported a man allegedly “motivating” and “encouraging” his son into sports by giving him pills of Steroids –  a controlled substance. Surely enough, the man had researched about the performance enhancing effects of steroids but either he got so excited that he didn’t bother himself to research about side effects of these steroids or he simply decided to ignore the warning notes that often find place in steroid related articles!

The boy’s dad here got some of his facts right. Anabolic Steroids are known to stimulate muscle and bone growth and have been frequently abused to boost stamina and athletic performance because of their androgenic properties of building muscle mass and enhancing endurance.

No doubt, steroids are quite capable of improving your built and stamina but they do it by re-sketching your hormonal equilibrium which may have far reaching negative implications. Steroids abuse may cease the production of body’s own steroidal hormones in order to maintain homeostasis. Exogenous steroids are also known to alter blood lipid profiles as they lower high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and raise low density lipoprotein (LDL) alias bad cholesterol. They may lead to a hormonal chaos and result a diverse array of disorders including Gynacomastia (development of breast tissue in males due to excess estrogen produced by aromatization of excessive androgens), Liver damage (resulting in a decreased hepatic excretory function and hemorrhagic cystic degeneration of the liver, which may lead to fibrosis and hypertension), development of male characters in women, kidney associated complications and sterility in both males and females because of disruption of various hormonal levels which potentiate the ability to have regular menstrual cycles in females while reducing follicle stimulating hormone in males to the point where normal production of sperm is not possible. Chronic use is often accompanied by increased aggressiveness, violence and even psychosis.

There are so many educational resources over the net including Testcountry’s information base of health articles. Considering the staggering numbers of substance abusers acros the globe, I simply wonder if at all people bother themselves to sit and study all aspects of steroids for if they do, they’ll never ignore the potentially harmful side-effects of drug abuse!

The problem on male infertility is often traced to the sperm. Sperm of excellent quality serves as a vital component of a healthy male reproductive system.  When a man has no the ability to deliver the right quantity and quality of sperm, it could result to the couple’s failure to produce an offspring.

Reproductive health experts estimate that around 10% of couples in their reproductive age experience infertility, and 40% of these are due to male infertility while the rest of the cases may be caused by problems on the reproductive system of the female partner or some other factors.

It is estimated that 90% of total male infertility cases result from poor sperm quality, low sperm counts, or both.  The major causes of male infertility are generally divided into three major categories:

1. Sperm production deficiencies affecting the quantity and quality of sperm
2. Anatomical disorders
3. Other factors like immunological disorders

Sperm production disorders may arise from the presence of varicocele, which refer to the irregular enlargement of the veins in the scrotum that drain the testicles. The use of tight undergarments also elevates the risks of male infertility as well as constant exposure to occupational hazards, such as frequent exposure to excessive heat.

The anatomical factors causing male infertility include the incomplete formation or development of the testis, the non-descent of the testis, other obstructions that are due to infections, and critical injuries to the male organ.

Immunological disorders and abnormalities can also lead to male infertility. Of the total number of male infertility cases, it is estimated that half of these men suffer from irreversible infertility.

As many men find the issue of male infertility a sensitive one, home fertility tests for men (sperm count tests) have already been made available. You can check them here.

Australian fertility experts recently found a link between Vitamin D deficiency and male infertility. We already know that Vitamin D is essential in ensuring a healthy pregnancy. This latest study demonstrates that Vitamin D affects not only the females, but the males, as well.

It is then now recommended for men with fertility problems to get a daily dose of sunshine early in the morning aside from losing weight and giving up smoking, caffeine and alcohol.

Dr. Anne Clark, who serves as the medical director of the Fertility First assisted reproduction clinic in Sydney, Australia, presented this study to the Fertility Society of Australia in a conference in Brisbane. This is actually a part of the research done by Laura Thomson, who is pursuing a Doctorate degree in the University of Sydney.

This is truly a significant step in the struggle to beat male infertility, which has affected millions of couples around the world. Infertility challenges 1 in every 6 couples trying to have a baby. While it has been considered a woman’s issue for several generations, the recent decades have established that a male factor is also present.

Low sperm count has been the most common cause of male infertility, and this can be attributed to different factors such as age, emotional stress, testicular exposure to excess heat, obesity, substance abuse, smoking, malnutrition, varicocele and genetic predisposition. While some of these need treatment to be corrected, most simply require a change in lifestyle and the adoption of healthier practices.

By quitting on the habit of smoking or turning away from prohibited drugs, a man can improve the quality and quantity of his sperm. With sufficient amounts of Vitamin C, Folate, Selenium, Zinc, and as recently revealed — Vitamin D, the chances of fixing male infertility problems may increase.

Several male fertility tests have been used to determine sperm concentration and to assist those who are undergoing a process to improve their sperm count. You may check available kits in the Test Country.