What determines sperm health? Sperm health depends on various factors, including quantity, movement and structure: Quantity. Fertility is most likely if the semen discharged in a single ejaculation (ejaculate) contains at least 15 million sperm per milliliter.
Some at-home tests also check how well sperm can move. For a home sperm test, you collect a semen sample by ejaculating into a small cup. A home sperm test may be appealing because you can do it in the privacy of your own home. Results are often ready within a few minutes.
Causes of male infertility
These may include: Abnormal sperm production or function due to undescended testicles, genetic defects, health problems such as diabetes, or infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mumps or HIV. Enlarged veins in the testes (varicocele) also can affect the quality of sperm.
Some types of vitamins, including vitamins D, C, E, and CoQ10, are important for sperm health. One study showed that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C every day can help men's sperm concentration and mobility.
Normally, semen is a thick, whitish liquid. However, several conditions can change the color and consistency of semen. Watery semen can be a sign of low sperm count, indicating possible fertility problems. Ejaculating thin, clear semen may also be a temporary condition with no serious health concerns.
There is no specific frequency with which a man should ejaculate. There is no solid evidence that failure to ejaculate causes health problems. However, ejaculating frequently can reduce the man's risk of getting prostate cancer. Ejacu-lation can be through having sex or masturbating a few times a day.
A man might have watery semen if he doesn't get enough zinc in his diet. Zinc is an important nutrient for sperm production. Men who ejaculate several times a day might also develop watery semen, since the body needs time to “catch up” on its semen production.
The concentration of sperm is what makes the semen cloudy and thick, so if your ejaculate is watery it is possible that you have a low sperm count. This doesn't mean you're infertile (so precautions to prevent pregnancy still need to be taken for couples that don't want to get pregnant).
Watery semen can sometimes indicate that a person has a low sperm count or reduced semen quality. These can result from certain medical conditions and lifestyle factors. Having watery semen does not necessarily mean that a person is infertile. However, people with persistent watery semen may wish to consult a doctor.
Yellow semen is rarely cause for concern. It may be due to aging, abstinence or the presence of urine. Infections, including prostatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs), can turn semen yellow.
Thick semen usually results from a higher than normal concentration of sperm in a typical volume of semen, or from having a high number of sperm with an irregular shape (morphology). High sperm concentration often indicates that you're more likely to impregnate a female partner.
Clear semen typically refers to the pre-ejaculated fluid and white semen is part of the ejaculation. Clear semen may result in case of frequent ejaculation and may indicate low sperm count. White semen indicates less frequent ejaculations and is a thick and cloudy fluid.
Use of cocaine or marijuana may temporarily reduce the number and quality of your sperm as well. Alcohol use. Drinking alcohol can lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production. Liver disease caused by excessive drinking also may lead to fertility problems.
Male sperm is normally thick and white in color. However, certain medical conditions and lifestyle factors can change the color and consistency of sperm. Watery sperm does not have that thick semen texture. Instead, it is more 'liquidy'.
Clear, white, or gray semen is considered typical or healthy.
excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and using drugs such as marijuana or cocaine. certain medications, including testosterone replacement therapy, long-term anabolic steroid use, cancer medications (chemotherapy), some antibiotics and some antidepressants. being overweight or obese.
You produce sperm every day, but a full sperm regeneration cycle (spermatogenesis) takes about 64 days. Spermatogenesis is the complete cycle of sperm production and maturation.
Although men never stop producing sperm throughout their lives, sperm production does begin decreasing after age 35. Motility, volume and genetic quality of sperm of older men are less likely to achieve a successful pregnancy even in younger women.
After ejaculation, a single sperm cell measuring only 0.5 mm needs to swim over 152 mm from the base of the cervix to the egg for fertilization. Not every sperm is up to the task. Even though only one sperm is needed for fertilization, most sperm cells will not survive the journey from the testicle to the uterus.
Sperm production or function can be affected by overexposure to certain environmental elements, including: Industrial chemicals. Extended exposure to benzenes, toluene, xylene, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, painting materials and lead might contribute to low sperm counts.
However, there are many possible reasons why you aren't conceiving, including ovulation irregularities, structural problems in the reproductive system, low sperm count, underlying medical problems, or simply not trying enough.