Dr. Prashansa Girewal

Low sperm count. This is most often the cause of male infertility.  

Low sperm motility. Second most common reason 

Abnormal sperm. Another common reason

Low sperm count should not be viewed as a definitive diagnosis of infertility but as one indicator of a fertility problem. A normal sperm count is considered to be 20 million per milliliter of semen. 

Male infertility is usually caused by problems that affect either sperm production or sperm transport. Through medical testing, the cause of the problem may be found out. Roughly 2/3rd of infertile men have a problem with making sperm in the testes.

Male infertility affects approximately 7% of all men it is commonly due to deficiencies in the semen, and semen quality is used as a alternate measure of male fertility.

A lower amount of semen may indicate an issue with the seminal vesicles, blocked ducts or a prostate gland issue. Sperm count – 20 million to 300 million per milliliter is considered in the normal range. Below 10 million is considered “poor.”

Types of infertility and causes of infertility in men:*

* Male subfertility

* Low concentration of sperm in the semen

* Sperm abnormalities/abnormal semen

* Abnormal shape/morphology of the sperm

* Problems with movement/motility that makes sperm delivery difficult

* Abnormal liquefaction, absence of viable, healthy sperm,

Blockages or obstructions in the genital tract that prevent sperm delivery that can occur due to:

* Developmental disorders of the epididymis, vas deferens or seminal vesicles

* Scarring from inflammation

* Vasectomy

* Infertility caused by medical conditions, such as varicoceles and testicular torsion

* Genetic abnormalities

* Hormonal imbalances

* Lifestyle choices and environmental exposure.

* Idiopathic Infertility. 

Initial testing will likely include:

Semen analysis, Ultrasound,  Post-ejaculation urinalysis,  Genetic testing, Sperm function tests, Hormone testing, Blood tests

Treating Male Infertility -

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART)

Artificial insemination

IVF, GIFT, and other techniques

Drug therapy for hormonal disorders

Treatment for problems with sexual intercourse.

Treating  infections

Dark chocolate not only benefits the heart and has lots of other health benefits too:
- cocoa and dark chocolate have a wide variety of powerful antioxidants, way more than most other food
- the bioactive compounds in cocoa can improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a small but statistically significant decrease in blood pressure.
- dark chocolate improves several important risk factors for disease. It lowers the susceptibility of ldl to oxidative damage while increasing hdl and improving insulin sensitivity.

But of course, this doesn't mean you should go all out and consume lots of chocolate every day. It is still loaded with calories and easy to overeat on. Maybe have a square after dinner and try to really savor them.

Be aware that a lot of the chocolate available in the market is not good. You need to choose quality stuff; organic, dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content.