Sperm Can't Swim? You May Be Quietly Affected by Asthenozoospermia!

Maria got married at the age of 28, which was considered a late marriage. After marriage, they never used any contraceptive products and maintained normal marital relations, believing themselves to be in good health. They never worried about conceiving. However, over a year has passed, and her menstruation comes every month as scheduled. However, she has not been able to conceive successfully. Only then did they go to the hospital for comprehensive examinations, which revealed that her husband actually had severe asthenozoospermia.

Asthenozoospermia is a male reproductive health disorder characterized by low sperm motility. In this condition, sperm exhibit poor movement capability—some cannot even swim forward effectively. Consequently, these sperm struggle to penetrate the cervical mucus and pass through the cervix into the uterine cavity, making it difficult to fertilize the egg. This significantly impacts male fertility.

What Causes Asthenozoospermia

Understanding its causative factors is crucial for prevention and treatment. The following are the main factors:

1. Lifestyle-Related Factors

An unhealthy lifestyle is one of the main causes of asthenozoospermia. Chronic smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overexertion, lack of exercise, and poor diet negatively all have negative effects on the function of the testicular, reducing the quality and motility of sperm.

2. Environmental Factors

Environmental pollution is becoming increasingly severe, and harmful substances such as heavy metals, chemical toxins, and radiation may all serve as contributing factors to asthenozoospermia. These external factors can disrupt the endocrine system and impair the normal metabolic

processes of spermatogenic cells, thereby compromising sperm motility.

3. Disease factors

Certain diseases directly or indirectly affect sperm quality. For example, inflammatory conditions of the urogenital system, such as prostatitis and seminal vesiculitis, can cause localized temperature elevation and toxin accumulation, thereby inhibiting sperm motility; endocrine disorders, particularly abnormal gonadotropin secretion, may disrupt the normal spermatogenesis mechanism; furthermore, some systemic diseases including diabetes and liver disorders could also influence sperm status by altering the internal microenvironment.

4. Genetic Factors

Genetic background partially determines an individual's reproductive potential. If there is a family history of asthenozoospermia or other reproductive disorders, the probability of offspring developing similar issues is relatively higher.

5. Psychological Factors

Excessive mental stress and frequent emotional fluctuations should not be overlooked either. In individuals experiencing chronic tension and anxiety, the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis is prone to disruption, which not only affects testosterone levels but may also lead to decreased spermatogenesis efficiency and reduced sperm motility.

Asthenozoospermia typically results from the combined effects of multiple factors. Effective preventive strategies include: improving lifestyle habits, optimizing living environments, actively preventing and treating related diseases, emphasizing genetic counseling, and regulating mental health.

However, excessive concern is unnecessary. The medical community has established three key consensuses regarding asthenozoospermia:

Clear Reversibility: Except for rare chromosomal abnormalities, 80% of cases have identifiable and treatable causes.

Adequate Treatment Window: With a spermatogenesis cycle of ~72 days, most patients show improvement after 3-6 months of standardized treatment.

Strong Technical Safeguards: Even severe cases (PR<5%) can achieve fertility through sperm cryopreservation combined with ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection).

Therefore, asthenozoospermia does not necessarily mean infertility. Based on current clinical evidence, patients receiving standardized treatment can ultimately achieve fertility success rates comparable to the general population. The key lies in early screening, identifying underlying causes, and adhering to treatment protocols. Thus, through proactive intervention and professional treatment, asthenozoospermia can indeed be effectively managed! For individuals affected, consulting specialists promptly for comprehensive diagnostics and personalized therapeutic plans is essential.

How to Treat Asthenozoospermia

1. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Regulation

TCM believes that asthenozoospermia may be related to pathological mechanisms such as kidney deficiency and liver stagnation. Oral administration of Chinese herbs can tonify the kidneys and essence, soothe the liver and relieve depression, showing good effects for patients with both decreased sperm quality and accompanying anxiety symptoms.

Herbal formulations such as the Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill, widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, are designed to reduce inflammation, nourish kidney essence, and improve reproductive balance, making them a complementary option in the management of asthenozoospermia.

2. Lifestyle Interventions

Moderate exercise helps improve immunity and blood circulation, enhancing reproductive system function. This is suitable for implementation in daily life by patients with mild to moderate asthenozoospermia.

3. Vitamin Supplementation

Vitamin E has antioxidant effects that can promote sperm production and maturation; folic acid benefits red blood cell development and helps reduce anemia risk, making it suitable for infertile men deficient in these vitamins.

4. Trace Element Supplementation

Zinc is an essential element for sperm production, while selenium participates in testosterone synthesis in the testes and affects sperm motility. These provide adjuvant treatment for infertility caused by zinc or selenium deficiency.

5. Hormone Therapy

In some cases, doctors may consider using gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs to regulate hormone levels and improve sperm production. This is primarily used for asthenozoospermia caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.

When facing asthenozoospermia, avoid excessive mental stress while maintaining a balanced diet and adequate nutrition to benefit sperm health. There's no need to become anxious over a single semen analysis report—modern andrology has achieved complete solutions from sperm motility restoration to fertility reconstruction, where maintaining treatment confidence itself serves as a recovery catalyst.