Impact Of Smoking On Male Fertility: An Overview

Smoking is a dangerous addiction and a slow killer! When you smoke a cigarette, it exposes you to over 7000 chemicals which are spewed out, many being lethal.¹ You’ve probably heard enough about how smoking damages your lungs. But how much did you know about its deleterious impact on male fertility?

Now get ready to be shocked!

Multiple research has shown that men who smoke have double the chances of being infertile than those who don’t.² Found yourself asking why? Well, that’s because smoking negatively affects numerous fertility parameters in men.

In this blog, we’ll take you through this lesser thought about connection i.e. between smoking & male fertility. We’ll also tell you how a regular semen analysis can save you a lot of trouble.

So read on!

How Does Smoking Affect Male Fertility?

Do you smoke? Then chances are that your sperm concentration, movement, and shape are significantly impacted. Not just that, there’s also a possibility that your sperm vitality, amount of ejaculate, & progressive motility concentrations are a little bit off-track.³

To put that in numbers, sperm concentration among smokers was ~13% lower than in non-smokers while the sperm concentration among heavy smokers was 19% lower when compared to non-smokers.³

There have been several studies that have explored the interrelationships between smoking and male fertility.

And here’s what they’ve found!

About 36.4% of the total studies that compared smokers to non-smokers reported a significant reduction in motility and concentration, and 41.4% showed a decrease in normal sperm shape.³

Smoking over 10 cigarettes each day was found to cause a 13-17% reduction in sperm concentration.³ And smoking over 20 increased their chance of developing Erectile Dysfunction by up to 1.5 times!⁴

Additionally, smoking also worsened the semen parameters by increasing inflammation.³

So what are the possible mechanisms behind these negative effects of smoking?

Continue reading to find out.³

Smoking results in the build-up of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress (OS). And this has ill effects on sperm viability and shape. This OS also impairs sperm function and results in reduced fertility.³

These drags cause a lack of oxygen in your body, leading to marred testicular function.

Nicotine, the main addictive compound in cigarettes, can cause hormonal imbalance, resulting in decreased sperm production.³

And other major active components of smoke, heavy metals like cadmium and lead, for example, have a negative correlation with sperm concentration, movement, and shape.³

Smoking also makes male sperm prone to DNA damage. A man’s exposure to passive smoking before fertilisation may have negative results on the reproduction process as well.³

Tips And Tricks To Quit Smoking

Research has shown that cutting back on smoking might help get back your semen quality & quitting will most likely improve your erections and sexual capacities.⁵

But how to quit this ugly habit?

Alright, so below are some useful tips to quit smoking and improve your fertility:⁶

• Try nicotine patches: These are generally safe and can help you deal with urges efficiently
• Avoid triggers: People usually tend to smoke when stressed or when they’re in an environment where others are doing so ( at social gatherings for example). You need to identify what your triggers are and keep them at bay to ace your quitting journey.
• Delay urges: The urges of smoking, like most other urges, are momentary, and disappear within minutes. So just try and sit over it, until it passes and congratulate yourself later when you’ve done it!
• Work it out: Finding healthy distractions like engaging in physical activities can make your cravings for cigarettes go away. Experiment with different forms like walking, jogging or swimming.
• Practice relaxation techniques: You can try out meditation, deep breathing, or simply chatting with your friend. All of these can help your smoking urges to pass by.
• Talk to an expert: If nothing seems to work, don’t delay consulting with an expert about the problem.⁶

Conclusion

The thought or intent to give up smoking may seem like a lot at first. But given the benefits of quitting for your reproductive and overall health, it’s a small price to ask for. The huge list of hazardous impacts of smoking on male fertility is a loud cry for you to stop. Use tips and tricks as mentioned above and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle to somehow balance out the damage already done.

And if you’re still facing issues when trying to conceive, you should consult a fertility specialist & get a comprehensive semen analysis done. Opt for LifeCell’s SpermScore which checks 10 sperm health parameters and 14 conditions in compliance with WHO standards. It helps you figure out the missing puzzle in your fertility journey so that you can sail through it.

Moreover, if you suspect that your lifestyle and habits can take a toll on your future fertility & sperm health, it’s better to be on the safe side & get your sperm banked. An ideal choice would be LifeCell’s SpermVault – India’s 1^st & most trusted private sperm bank that utilises the most advanced preservation techniques to ensure optimal results in the long term.

For more information on SpermScore and SpermVault, visit www.lifecell.in or call 1800 266 5533.

Reference

1. https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/whats-in-a-cigarette#:~:text=When%20burned%2C%20cigarettes%20create%20more,such%20as%20rat%20poison%20packaging.
2. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/fact-sheets-and-infographics/smoking-and-infertility/#:~:text=Women%20who%20smoke%20do%20not,number%20of%20cigarettes%20smoked%20daily.
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4709430/
4. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-stopping-smoking-boosts-your-fertility-naturally
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6693933/#:~:text=Cigarette%20smoking%20is%20associated%20with,men%20who%20had%20stopped%20smoking.
6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/nicotine-craving/art-20045454

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