The University of Adelaide (the city known for their huge balls) has published a review calling for sperm analysis to be incorporated into men’s primary care. Science is back, baby.
Traditionally, semen analysis has been a tool for assessing male fertility only, but now researchers Dr Hannah Lyons and Dr Nicole McPherson from the uni’s School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute have called for the “untapped potential” of semen analysis to be used as a healthy lifestyle change motivator.
“[Semen analysis] offers a valuable insight into reproductive health, which is an important component of overall health and wellbeing,” says McPherson.
According to the researchers, semen analysis can be used to identify environmental and lifestyle factors that can contribute to long-term health risks for men such as obesity.
Idk what’s more sensitive; me or the process of spermatogenesis XD
(Image: Nature Reviews Urology)
“Obesity is associated with a reduction in basic sperm parameters, like concentration, motility, morphology, and increased frequency of infertility. It’s also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and complications of obesity like metabolic syndrome and sleep apnoea can also have an impact on sperm quality too,” says Lyons.
High intake of tobacco and alcohol also contributes to reduced sperm motility and egg-binding ability.
The review refers to multiple studies where abnormal semen parameters correlate to increased risk of hospitalisation and death. One significant study included 11,935 men from 1994 to 2011 who showed low semen volume, sperm concentration, total count, motility; all of whom were associated with an increased risk of death.
“An abnormal semen analysis result is likely to inspire further fertility assessment and delivery of care options by primary care providers but could also be an opportunity for further general health assessment to identify the underlying cause of the poor semen analysis results and catch the beginnings of chronic diseases earlier,” says McPhersons.
Weird looking family tree.
(Image: Nature Reviews Urology)
“Incorporating male fertility as an integral part of a broad assessment of male health could change the narrative on how male reproductive health is perceived, increase awareness around its predictions about healthier living and reduce the overall stigma around male infertility.”
In other words, gooning might just become part of your annual medical check-up.
How to improve your sperm:
“Male fertility is highly influenced by environmental, lifestyle and medical factors, with evidence showing both short-term and long-term interventions like nutritional supplementation and lifestyle changes can improve semen quality and fertility potential,” says McPhersons.
In the research, men who had low quality sperm were told to implement health interventions such as:
- Reduce/stop smoking
- Reduce/stop drinking alcohol
- Wearing looser underwear
- Avoid using the bath for longer than 15 mins
- Don’t use your laptop on your lap
- Reduce/stop exposing yourself to radiation
After one to two months, sperm motility and concentration had increased. With the rapid production of sperm, reproductive health can be easily improved upon healthier life choices.
Of course, men (in general!) tend to get very… uncomfortable when it comes to the vitality of the virility. It’s something the researchers were at pains to point out: that testing sperm should be done with the utmost sensitivity, due to (some) men feeling like less of a man or heading into a shame spiral over a bad result.
But you know what they say: it takes balls to face the truth. And just maybe, your balls contain the truth.
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