Men and Sperm Health by Dr. Mike Berkley

*1 out of 12 couples have subfertility.

*Male-related factors account for 40 percent of subfertility. Female-related factors account for another 40 percent and a combination of male- and female-related factors account for about 20 percent.

*About 90% of all subfertility can be traced to specific causes that can be treated.

Typical causes of male subfertility

*Sperm production problems

*Blockages in the sperm's delivery system

*Injuries to the testicles

*Low or high hormone production

*Anatomical problems

*Varicocele (varicose veins around the testicle)

*Past illnesses/ infections/ various diseases

*Certain medications

Sperm quality

Sperm quality is a contributing factor for 40 percent of couples experiencing infertility. There are five main factors that contribute to sperm quality:

*Motility: The ability to move in an active fashion. In healthy sperm, typically more than 50% are active with over

25% moving forcefully in one direction. Motility is what enables a sperm to travel up the cervical canal, into the uterus and the fallopian tubes and, finally, penetrate the egg.

*Speed: Progressive motility. In a healthy male, greater than 25% of sperm will exhibit progressive motility. It is thought that these are the sperm with the best chance of successfully fertilizing an egg.

*Count: The number of sperm in the fluid that is ejaculated (semen). There are over 40 million sperm in a normal ejaculate. A total count below 40 million may indicate decreased fertility.

*Concentration: A measure of the number of sperm cells in a milliliter of semen. Normal concentration is at least 20 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen.

*Morphology: The shape and size of the sperm. A healthy sperm cell will have a shape similar to a tadpole. The sperm's oval head contains the genetic material, the center provides energy and the tail propels the sperm forward.

Using the strict criteria put forth by the World Health Organization (1999), studies show lower pregnancy rates with less than 15% normal forms. Furthermore, experts believe that abnormally shaped sperm cannot fertilize an egg.

Motility, speed and morphology appear to be the most important factors to assess the fertilizing capability of sperm. Despite a low sperm count, many men with high-quality (viable and highly mobile) sperm may still be fertile.

By combining acupuncture, herbal medicine and supplements we have been able to effectively enhance and improve the quality of

sperm. Not only do the count, morphology and motility improve but sperm fragmentation is often successfully treated.

Another excellent application of the Berkley Center's protocol is varicocelectomy recovery. One of the causes of lack of improvement in sperm quality and count after a varicocelectomy is due to a lack of blood flow to the testicles. The proper

application of acupuncture, herbal medicine and supplements has been shown to successfully enhance blood flow to the testicles and facilitate healing and significant improvement after varicocelectomy.

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BIO:

Dr. Mike Berkley has been treating male factor fertility disorders since 1996 with amazing results. He works exclusively in the area of reproductive medicine and enjoys working in conjunction with some of New York’s most prestigious reproductive
endocrinologists. Sign up for his free newsletter at www.BerkleyCenter.com

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