Male fertility issues are estimated to play a role in about 50 % of couples’ infertility
As couples across the UK prepare for the colder months, more attention is turning to a less‑talked‑about seasonal challenge: male fertility. According to recent data*, globally, roughly 7 % of men are affected, and male fertility issues are estimated to play a role in about 50 % of couples’ infertility.
With winter approaching, Fertility Family, experts in helping those trying to conceive, are urging men to be cautious of overheating in response to the colder seasonal influences – and to adopt simple lifestyle and environmental habits that help safeguard sperm health, regardless of the time of year.
Frequent use of heated applications
During the winter months, many rely on heated applications to stay warm, which include heated blankets, hot water bottles and heated seats. It can be difficult to monitor how long the reproductive area has been exposed to these heated applications, and prolonged exposure to the area is damaging for male fertility.
In short, heat – whatever the source – causes oxidative stress and harms sperm concentration and motility. So, not only does it impair your body’s ability to produce sperm, but the sperm it does produce have a harder time swimming to reach and fertilise an egg.
Lower concentrations of sperm and lower sperm motility are common infertility symptoms and can drastically affect your chances of starting a family. For healthy sperm, the ideal temperature is around 35 degrees; even small increases can be detrimental to male fertility.
What to do: Men should avoid prolonged exposure to heated applications and avoid using heated blankets or hot water bottles directly on their reproductive organs.
Thermoregulation
When the body is cold, it activates vasoconstriction to help maintain its core temperature. This entails blood vessels narrowing in various areas including the male reproductive organs. Prolonged vasoconstriction may decrease blood supply to the testes, causing low oxygen levels in the testicular tissue. This damages sperm production and testosterone secretion due to the impact on Sertoli and Leydig cells.
What to do: Men should layer up and keep warm during the winter months to prevent vasoconstriction. It is important to note that when layering, men should avoid tight-fitting and warm thermal underwear. The danger here is that when testicles are pushed too close together for long periods, it increases testicular temperature, which ranges from 0.5°C to 0.8°C.
Such temperature changes, although minor, impact the optimal temperature for sperm, which can affect fertility. Finding the right temperature is a balancing act, but one which is important for male fertility.
Increased cortisol during the winter
When men get cold, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated, which causes cortisol levels to increase. When cortisol levels in men are too high, it affects their sperm production and, in turn, their fertility. Increased cortisol leads to a reduction in the release of the LH and FSH hormones, which causes a decrease in testosterone production and sperm production.
What to do: There are several ways to reduce cortisol levels. Men should first ensure they are wearing multiple layers and keeping warm during the winter months. Other methods include getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, taking supplements like omega-3 fatty acids and reducing stress through relaxation techniques.
Decreased sunlight
During the winter months in the UK, the hours of daylight drastically reduce with an average of only 8 hours of sunlight per day. This has an effect on people’s vitamin D levels, a vitamin which is important for a number of bodily functions, including bone density, hair health and sperm production.
Vitamin D is essential for male fertility in a number of ways. It plays a vital role in the secretion of testosterone, and low levels of vitamin D can therefore result in reduced sperm production. Some studies suggest that vitamin D is also linked to the quality of sperm and their mobility, low vitamin D levels may reduce the quality of sperm, subsequently impacting male fertility**.
What to do: This can be easily remedied by increasing vitamin D levels through supplements and diet. Foods like oily fish, eggs and white mushrooms are all rich in vitamin D and can be a good way to increase vitamin D levels in the absence of sunlight. Alternatively, vitamin D supplements are an easy source of the vitamin.
Tet Yap, Consultant Andrological Surgeon, provides comment for Fertility Family:
“Although the cooler temperatures of the winter months can be beneficial for male fertility, in actual fact, the season can be uniquely tricky for sperm health. Cold alters your immune response – hence the spike in flu and other viruses around this time of the year.
Any fevers and other seasonal illnesses can have a detrimental effect on both fertility and sexual function. Add to this our modern comforts – heated blankets
and car seats, thick thermal underwear, hot baths and saunas – all of which can
directly affect testicular temperature over time and cause damage to sperm. Additionally, rich foods and alcohol are a Christmas dinner staple and many more processed foods and snacks than we normally eat, leading to more oxidative stress that can damage sperm DNA the same way heat exposure does.
Whilst we do want to enjoy the festive period, it is important to remember to try to have as a balanced diet and lifestyle as possible, making sure our anti-oxidant balance is especially supported during these months with the use of targeted supplements like Impryl and generally avoid overheating the scrotal area.”