Men’s health: Does stress affect sperm quantity, quality and also cause ejaculation problems?

Various research to date has gone on to state how psychological stress affects male fertility. However, the exact trajectory of how cells in the testicles (that develop into sperm) can be affected by stress remains under research, prompting academics at the Banaras Hindu University to study sub-chronic psychological stress and its impact on male fertility. It assessed the impact of psychological stress on testicular germ cell dynamics using a restraint stress (RS) model.

The research team exposed rats to sub-chronic stress for 1.5 to 3 hours every day for a period of 30 days and measured the quality and quantity of sperm. According to the study, there was a “severe deterioration in daily sperm production”. The study also found a morphological or structural abnormality in the sperm — specifically, the epididymal spermatozoa (the sperm stored and matured in one of the male reproductive accessory structures called epididymis) were adversely affected by stress exposure — normal sperm morphology contains three parts which are named as head, neck, and tail. The study discovered abnormalities in the basic structure of the sperm with the frequency of spermatozoa with tail abnormalities higher than that of spermatozoa with head abnormalities.

So, does stress actually affect sperm quality?

It is a riveting yes, as experts agree that a low sperm count, commonly known as oligozoospermia, is when a man has less than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen, which occurs due to lifestyle factors.

“Nowadays, modified lifestyles, high-stress levels, late marriage, low nutritional diet, and lack of physical activity, have led to growing cases of infertility. Stress associated with work, education, or a better lifestyle, is subconsciously causing hormonal changes in the body. This is impacting male infertility, leading to decreased sperm motility and sperm count,” explained Dr Sushma Tomar, Consultant – obstetrician and gynaecologist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan.

Sperms are marker of a male’s health too (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Dr Prashanth Ganesh, consultant urologist and andrologist, Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, Bangalore noted that while “the causes for infertility is unknown”, recent studies indicate that stress is causing changes in the “internal structure and abnormalities in testis, leading to changes in structural abnormality in sperms and decline in the daily sperm count”. “Secondly, it changes hormone synthesis and puts more oxidative stress in the testis, proving the direct impact of stress on male fertility,” Dr Prashanth told indianexpress.com.

In addition, stress can cause inflammation in the body, which can damage the cells that produce sperm, said Dr Tomar. “The immune system also gets weak, making it difficult for the body to fight against infections. In some cases, it can also lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Oxidative stress or physiological stress can also cause damage to unnaturalised free radicals, which has been associated with fertility and semen quality. Consumption of alcohol and tobacco also impacts the quality of sperm to a certain extent,” said Dr Tomar.

One’s sperm count and motility, which varies depending on one’s anxiety levels, also cause ejaculation problems. “Other common causes of infertility along with stress are erectile dysfunction and blocked tubes,” said Dr Tomar, adding that in his observation there are “five per cent of wives and 35 per cent of husbands having fertility issues”, and in some cases, both report having issues.

“A psychologically stressed husband is having more steroids hormones secretion that, in reverse, affect testosterone hormones for sperm generation. It’s important to note that these effects are not necessarily permanent and can be reversible with effective stress management and lifestyle changes. So, counselling and diagnosis are very important in infertility treatment,” said Dr Tomar.

The stress can be managed in the following ways, according to Dr Tomar

*Practising relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. Dr Prashanth also suggested laughter therapy to relax oneself.
*Engaging in regular physical activity
*Getting enough sleep
*Eating a healthy diet
*Connecting with friends and loved ones
*Seeking professional help, if needed

“All these allow to lessen your stress, in turn not only improving fertility but also the overall wellbeing of a person,” Dr Prashanth said.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!