How does testosterone affect conception in men?

When a man turns to a doctor with a suspicion of infertility, the first thing a doctor does is prescribe a spermogram and analysis for the level of androgens / estrogens in the blood. Disturbances can be observed both in the results of the spermogram, and in the results of hormonal analyzes. Is it worth to connect one with another?

Does low testosterone affect conception?

Testosterone is necessary for the production of spermatozoa, but its concentration in the testes is almost always enough for successful spermatogenesis. Even if a man has an absolutely low level of testosterone in the blood( less than 12 nmol / l), this does not mean that it is not enough for spermatogenesis. This is confirmed by observations such as the fact that men retain the ability to fertilize throughout almost the entire life. Although the level of sex hormones by the age of 80 is about 2.5 times less than at the age of 20( see Figure 1).

Fig.1 - Age dynamics of changes in testosterone levels in men.

Yes, a really low level of testosterone can reduce sex drive, erection quality and the amount of sperm in the sperm. However, the quality of spermatozoa is still determined by other factors.

Is it necessary to treat a low level of testosterone in men when planning conception?

Testosterone is largely responsible for the health of men and the quality of life( see "Testosterone functions in the male body" for more details).Therefore, when the concentration of androgen decreases, appropriate treatment should be carried out.

The testosterone deficiency therapy is performed to improve the general health of a man, improve vitality, sexual function and quality of life in general. But such therapy is not connected( or connected indirectly) with increasing chances of conception. Moreover, some methods of treatment of androgen deficiency lead to switching off the function of spermatogenesis and provoke male infertility.

How to treat the shortage of testosterone so as to improve the production of spermatozoa in parallel read on.

How is androgen deficiency treatment performed in male infertility?

In addition to independent methods of increasing testosterone naturally, medicine offers two approaches in the treatment of low testosterone:

1. Substitution therapy;
2. Stimulating therapy.

Stimulating therapy

When it comes to stimulating treatment, resort to the normalization of testosterone levels by the introduction of chorionic gonadotropin( hCG).This hormone is produced only in pregnant women and ensures the safety of pregnancy. In its properties, hCG is almost identical to follicle stimulating hormone( FSH), which is responsible for triggering spermatogenesis, and luteinizing hormone( LH), which is responsible for triggering the synthesis of testosterone. It is these properties that make it safe for men to increase testosterone levels at the very beginning of the chain of its formation.

See more details "Stimulating therapy with chorionic gonadotropin."

Why can not I use substitution therapy?

The main reason is a guaranteed reduction in the natural functions of the testicles. If in the case of HCG stimulation of the testicles is stimulated, since they are affected by the hormone precursor, then in the case of the introduction of testosterone, the need for testicles is lost - the body receives testosterone from the outside. Over time, the function of the testes for the production of hormones and spermatozoa can disappear altogether.

However, substitution therapy is often used in the treatment of androgen deficiency if preservation of the fertilization function is not essential.

. See "Substitution therapy with testosterone preparations".

What other options are available if a testosterone deficiency treatment is necessary, and conception is not yet done?

In addition to the stimulating therapy of hCG, mentioned above, there are two options:

1. Defer treatment of androgen deficiency before conception;
2. Freeze sperm and begin treatment.

See a video about the preparation of a man for conceiving

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