Case Study: ‘Poor swimmers’ Sam*
Meet Sam, 37 years
After 2 years of struggling with infertility, Sam and his partner decided it was time for some testing.
Sam’s sperm analysis indicated that his sperm were poor swimmers, tending to go around in circles instead of in a forward direction. Reduced motility, asthenozoosermia, is a common finding in men’s infertility.
Male infertility accounts for between 40-50% of infertility cases and affects around 7% of men.
The most usual causes or deficiencies in the semen are: poor sperm motility or asthenozoospermia, low sperm count or oligospermia and abnormal sperm shape or eratozoospermia. Around 90% of infertility issues are caused by low sperm count. However, poor sperm motility, or asthenozoospermia, is an important factor too.
Help is on its way
I want you to know that there is so much you can do to improve sperm health. Sperm takes around 90 days to develop, from scratch. Every change you make from nutrition, removal of toxins, and reduction of inflammation to reducing stress, helps develop healthy sperm, containing genetic material to be proud of. It is important to allow 3 months so the sperm can develop fully in the best possible environment.
It is never a surprise when a conception follows this protocol, especially if the egg has been developing in an equally optimal environment.
The Making Healthy Babies preconception program
Sam followed this protocol for the 3 months necessary to grow good-quality sperm. Before and after evaluations show the sperm motility improved and increased and the morphology (shape) of the sperm normalised, as did the pH.
· The program focused on cleaning up, which involved removing environmental toxins from his body and home. This detox improves the immune system and supports an improved availability of nutrients. Balancing his microbiome, including the semen microbiota.
· Improving his diet, by eliminating damaging foods, and including healthy oils, especially fish, olive, and coconut oil. The Mediterranean diet provides excellent nutrition with well-sourced protein, fibre, fresh fruit , vegetables, and healthy fats like olive oil.
· Building up, nutritionally, but also with targeted supplementation – a prenatal blend for men, including therapeutic amounts of zinc, activated B vitamins and antioxidants. I always recommend cod liver oil, as it is rich in Omega 3 DHA, which supports sperm health.
· Lifestyle modifications, with an increase in exercise, and a reduction in work stress. Sam stopped vaping, increased fitness, and reduced alcohol consumption.
Asthenozoospermia – poor sperm motility
The sperm needs to travel a long distance before it reaches and fertilizes the oocytes. Therefore, the sperm needs to move efficiently, and in the right direction.
There are two types of sperm motility: progressive motility and non-progressive motility. When the sperm moves progressively, it moves in a straight line or in large circles. The nonprogressive moving sperm doesn’t travel in straight lines or it swims in tight circles. For the sperm to be able to fertilize the oocytes, it needs to have progressive motility. When less than 32% of the sperm can move efficiently it is diagnosed as poor sperm motility or asthenozoospermia.
What causes asthenospermia?
The causes for asthenozoospermia are varied. Interestingly, when men clean up, build up, eat well, supplement in a targeted way and change their lifestyle, sperm health improves. Other factors and causes of poor sperm motility are long-term use of anabolic steroids, cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, smoking cigarettes, being overweight, varicocele or testicle damage (cancer, infection, injury, surgery).