Do you like the carefree life of not thinking so much about your health? Do you like to smoke and drink very often during the weekends to loosen up? 

If so, you must know the lifestyle factors that could affect your fertility as a man. Let’s go through some of them-

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1. Smoking 

Probably one of the most notorious habits, smoking causes a decline in sperm quality in both fertile and infertile men. It affects the sperm count, motility, and morphology, thereby, affecting fertility. Smoking tobacco has also been associated with an increase in DNA damage, mutations in sperm cells, and aneuploidies- a condition where there is an abnormal number of chromosomes present. Paternal smoking has also been connected to an increased risk factor for IVF and ICSI failure. 

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2. Illicit drugs

Cannabis, more popularly known as marijuana, is the most commonly abused illicit drug on a global scale, predominantly used by male users. Smoking cannabis on a regular scale, i.e., more than once weekly for a period of three months has been associated with a lower sperm count and lower sperm concentration among men of the younger age group. This is further exacerbated when used in combination with other recreational drugs and/or alcohol. 

When it comes to cocaine, long-term male users are known to have lower sperm concentration and motility, and abnormal morphology.

3. Obesity

As the BMI increases in men, fat deposits around the scrotum increase as well, increasing the temperature. This increase in temperature impacts spermatogenesis. It also increases oxidative stress, which in turn impairs sperm motility, and DNA integrity of sperm cells and thus impacts the interaction between sperm and the egg during fertilization. Obese men are also known to have lower success rates with Assisted Reproduction Technology.  

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4. Psychological stress

With psychological stress of any kind, be it occupational, family, or other kinds of stress in general, male infertility can be affected in terms of abnormal semen parameters, thereby, reducing paternity. 

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5. Diet

Semen quality is very much dependent on the diet consumed. A diet full of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins, typically known as the Mediterranean Diet, can improve sperm parameters. An added bonus of this type of diet is that it is also low in saturated and trans-fatty acids, which in turn again is inversely related to low-quality semen parameters. 

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6. Age

Even though it is not well defined, an age beyond 40 years is considered an Advanced Paternal Age or APA. With APA, the chances of successful pregnancy decrease, whether naturally or by using IUI. With paternal aging, there come genetic changes in the sperm cells, causing certain health conditions for the offspring. 

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So there you have it, with some minor modifications in your dietary and lifestyle habits, it is possible to improve your fertility and live your fatherhood dream. 

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References

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• Durairajanayagam, D. (2018). Lifestyle causes of male infertility. Arab journal of urology, 16(1), 10-20.
• Sharpe, R. M. (2000). Lifestyle and environmental contribution to male infertility. British medical bulletin, 56(3), 630-642.
• McGrady, A. V. (1984). Effects of psychological stress on male reproduction: a review. Archives of andrology, 13(1), 1-7.

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