Pollution can harm quality of sperm cells

According to the National Health Service (NHS), around one in seven couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving. Infertility in women is most commonly caused by problems with ovulation, while the most common cause of infertility in men is poor-quality semen, express.co.uk wrote.

Possible reasons for abnormal semen include a lack of sperm, sperm that aren’t moving properly and abnormally-shaped sperm. Poor semen or sperm quality can be down to genetics or an underlying medical condition.

But according to fertility specialist Dr. Ferran Garcia, one of the main causes of male infertility is environmental pollution caused by persistent organic pollutants (POPS).

POPS are chemical substances which are generated by humans, usually as a result of industrial processes. They include pesticides, industrial chemicals and by-products of manufacturing and combustion processes.

Garcia, who is head of Andrology at fertility clinic Institut Marquès, explains these can interfere in the development of the testicles, which can affect sperm quality.

“Through industrial processes, these substances are widely dispersed into the environment, and it takes decades for them to degrade

Stick to a healthy weight

Excessive amounts of fat tissue increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, which can lead to something called ‘secondary hypogonadism’ — a primary testicular failure.

This failure causes a reduction in the release of gonadotropins and a decrease in sperm production.

“Regular exercise and a healthy diet have been proven to increase testosterone levels and boost sperm quality, so I always encourage my patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight as best they can,” said Garcia.