Causes and treatment of asthenospermia( astenozoospermia)

astenospermii( asthenozoospermia) - a violation of sperm motility. The ability of sexual cells to move forward is one of the important factors determining the possibility of fertilization. The minimum permissible number of progressively motile spermatozoa is 32%.

Diagnostics feature of male germ cells that maturation occurs in postspermagenny period. Spermatozoa leave the vas deferens, being inactive, and are activated by passing through the epididymis. Any impact at this stage can disrupt the maturation of cells, leading, among other things, to asthenospermia.

Sperm motility is directly related to their viability. Having found asthenozoospermia, the percentage of live spermatozoa is necessarily counted. If the sex cells are incapable of movement, but living cells - it can speak of structural defects of the flagella. In this case, ICSI is often recommended.

If the cells are immobile, because they are not viable, the revealed condition is called necrospermia. A large number of dead still sperm usually indicates a pathology of the epididymis.

Asthenospermia does not have any independent clinical manifestations. Usually it is revealed in the study of the ejaculate - the receipt of a spermogram. If a reduced mobility of spermatozoa is found during the examination, it is recommended to repeat it in 2-3 months. This is the only way to accurately judge the state of the reproductive function. Transient( transient) disorders in the composition and quality of sperm are not uncommon, and are often corrected by changing the regime and diet.

Causes Sperm motility can be broken due to:

impact of external factors:

• smoking, marijuana use;
• alcohol intoxication;
• reception of anabolic steroids;
• taking certain medications( sulfosalazine);
• improper nutrition( lack of vitamins, trace elements, especially zinc( see "Zinc Preparations"));
• exposure to occupational hazards( intoxication with heavy metal vapor);
• overheating of the inguinal area( hot shop, sauna, hot tubs);
• stress;
• exposure to electromagnetic radiation and penetrating radiation.

Body changes:

• prolonged sexual abstinence( "aging" spermatozoa accumulate);
• too active sex life( not fully developed cells function);
• genetic problems( changes that cause structural changes in the flagella are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, that is, in order for them to manifest themselves, it is necessary to obtain one broken gene from the father and mother).
• increase in the viscosity of the secretion of the prostate( usually due to inflammatory changes);
• pyospermia: active forms of oxygen released by leukocytes disrupt sperm motility;
• infection: such pathogens as mycoplasmas can attach to cells, reducing their mobility;
• varicocele;
• change in the pH of the ejaculate( usually due to inflammation): sperm activation is possible only in an alkaline medium.

Treatment of

Because asthenospermia is a syndrome, not an independent disease, and the causes of this syndrome are diverse, there is no specific treatment. If asthenozoospermia is confirmed by a repeated spermogram, a thorough andrological examination is necessary.

In any case, start treatment is recommended with lifestyle changes:

- Eliminate smoking and alcohol.

- Eliminate toxic and physicochemical effects.

- Power up:

• Admission of multivitamins and microelements, with emphasis on vitamin C, E, folic acid, zinc and selenium, magnesium.
• Increase in food quantity of L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine. This amino acid provides energy exchange in spermatozoa, participating in the metabolism of fatty acids. The best option is red meat. Vegetarians will have to use nutritional supplements.
• It is desirable to take omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic. The optimal drugs are omega-3, intended for pregnant women: they are predominantly this fatty acid, often in combination with folic acid.

- Set up physical activity. Dosed physical activity reduces stress and increases testosterone production.

As for the detected diseases, the doctor should give the recommendation. In general, infections and inflammatory processes associated with them are treated with antibiotics. Pathological conditions, such as varicocele, require surgical correction. The gene correction anomalies do not respond.

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