Effects of smoking on sperm and fertility

Smoking has been proven by so many studies to harm health and fertility. Especially for male smokers, the toxic content in cigarettes can damage sperm, thus narrowing your chances of producing offspring. What exactly is the effect of nicotine on smoker's sperm?

The sperm of an active smoker has a harder time fertilizing a woman's egg

Every cigarette pack has a warning that smoking causes impotence. But the problem doesn't stop there.

A study says that the sperm of people who smoke are less fertile than men who do not smoke. It is possible that, even though the penis can still be erect and ejaculate as usual, there is still little chance of a smoker's sperm to survive successfully in a woman's body until it reaches the uterus and fertilizes an egg.

In fact, the human sperm cell consists of two small proteins called protamine 1 and protamine 2. Both of them keep each other in balance. The research team led by Mohamad Eid Hammadeh, PhD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, at the University of Saarland Germany found that smokers' sperm contain more protemin 1 than protamine 2, which is very little.

This imbalance makes the sperm very susceptible to DNA damage. These findings were obtained after testing 53 heavy smokers and 63 inactive smokers.

In addition, in sperm DNA there is generally an alphabet network (A, T, S, C, G) which functions as a genetic molecule. In smokers, the DNA alphabet in the sperm is damaged a lot, on average losing 1 to 2 letters of DNA.

Damage to sperm DNA is a factor in male infertility. Worse yet, this DNA damage cannot be repaired. Even when tested in a petri dish by researchers, the damaged sperm sample was still unable to penetrate the egg, making it a high risk of miscarriage.

The sperm count of smokers is less than nonsmokers

Tobacco smoking has been shown to decrease the sperm quality of male smokers. But at the same time, smoking also reduces the number of active sperm. Substances in tobacco content have been found to damage the antioxidants in semen.

Antioxidants have an important role in male sperm, which protects sperm from exposure to free radicals. Antioxidants also affect motility (the speed at which sperm "swim") and their ability to fertilize an egg.

Then, there is clear evidence that smoking marijuana can also reduce male fertility. The content of substances in marijuana can change the work of the endocrine system. Endocrine glands function to regulate reproductive hormones and male testosterone levels. Therefore, smoking marijuana can also reduce sperm motility and male fertility.

Can damaged sperm be repaired with antioxidant supplements?

As mentioned above, if antioxidants are able to ward off free radicals that can damage sperm. However, can sperm be improved simply by taking antioxidant supplements?

Professor Hammadeh said that antioxidant supplements will not affect sperm fertility too much. Antioxidant supplements have the main function as substances that reduce the risk of oxidative stress due to smoking.

If a couple wants to be pregnant and fertile, one of the main keys is to quit smoking and live a healthy life. Hammadeh suggested to increase the risk of fertility, it is better to stop smoking 3 months before IVF. Also consume vitamin C and vitamin E which can increase the fertility benefits of both partners.

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