Medical expert busts five common myths surrounding male fertility and sperm health

Male reproductive health involves far more than just looking at sperm counts. Dr Sanjay Prakash J, a consultant urologist and andrologist at the Asian Institute of Nephrology in Chennai, has stepped forward to clear up widespread myths that often cause unnecessary panic.

Sperm Count And Habits

Frequent ejaculation does not permanently drain the body's sperm supply because the testes make sperm on a continuous basis. Long gaps between ejaculation are not better either, as they can cause older sperm to build up and hurt motility and DNA quality. Regular intercourse remains a practical approach for couples trying to conceive. Frequent ejaculation also helps treat seminal infections and high DNA Fragmentation Index levels.

Treatments And Supplements

Assisted reproduction cannot fix every single barrier related to sperm. Poor sperm quality means treatments like IVF-ICSI cannot solve the issue on their own. No magic pill or food guarantees better fertility, and supplements cannot replace the need to check for conditions like varicocele, hormonal issues, infections, or genetic disorders. Meanwhile, taking testosterone from outside can actually harm sperm production. The brain responds by cutting off the natural signals that stimulate the testes, causing sperm counts to drop sharply or vanish entirely.

Understanding Azoospermia

Having zero sperm in the ejaculate is known as azoospermia, but it is not a single disease. It happens either because sperm are blocked from reaching the semen or because the testes struggle to make sperm. In cases of blockages, doctors can often retrieve sperm directly or perform microsurgery to restore fertility. Advanced techniques can even help find and retrieve sperm in select men who have non-obstructive azoospermia.

Context

Reproductive health often gets surrounded by casual rumors and unverified tips passed among friends. Consulting qualified medical specialists helps patients avoid unnecessary anxiety and get proper diagnoses for underlying health factors.