Sperm, the source of human reproduction, is the key to male fertility. The patient, Mr. Li, had suffered from fertility problems because of sperm. He had been infertile for four years of marriage, and computer-assisted semen analysis revealed that: the sperm viability rate was low at 34%, and only 3% of sperm with fast forward trajectory movement of class A; after excluding other systemic disease factors, I told him that he was diagnosed with male infertility according to the 16 categories of male infertility etiology recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) Idiopathic weak spermatozoa. What is male infertility? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), male infertility is defined as infertility of the female partner due to male causes after a couple has lived together for more than one year without any contraceptive measures. A WHO multicenter study reported that 20% of infertility is caused by the male partner, 38% by the female partner, 27% by both partners, and 15% by unexplained infertility (so-called idiopathic infertility). Therefore, it can be assumed that male factor causes not less than 50% of infertility. The WHO considers infertility to be a worldwide problem affecting both men and women, with about 8% of couples of childbearing age suffering from infertility, which translates into 50 million 80 million people worldwide with fertility problems. The incidence rate in developed countries fluctuates from 10% to 20%, and in the United States it is about 15%. In China, according to the latest survey of 19,595 couples conducted by the Guangdong Family Planning Institute in 2005, the incidence of infertility among couples of childbearing age at first marriage in Guangdong Province was 14.7 percent. The World Health Organization predicts that in the 21st century, infertility will become the third most common disease after tumors and cardiovascular diseases. Sperm quality is declining The industrial productivity of modern human society is developing by leaps and bounds, while the fertility of human beings themselves, especially the reproductive function of men is declining, and the infertility rate in industrialized countries has reached 16-20%. The sperm density of human semen has decreased from 113 million per ml in 1940 to 66 million in 1990, and the volume of each ejaculation has decreased from 3.4 ml to 2.75 ml. Scientists in the United States found that the number of sperm production in men has decreased by about 1.5% per year over the past 50 years, and published a report at the end of 1997 stating that the average sperm production in men has decreased by about half over the past 50 years, with Europe and North America being the most severe. A study by Toho University in Japan also showed that 10 years ago, 63.8% of the total number of sperm with motility, but only 54.5% in the last two years, combined with changes in the rate of sperm activity and other factors, the ability of sperm to fertilize is only half of what it was 10 years ago, which is one of the reasons for the increase in infertility. The causes of male infertility External factors that cause male infertility include: ① Environmental pollution: In addition to water, air and food pollution on reproductive function, there is also electricity, magnetism, radiation, noise pollution, as well as microwave, infrared, ultraviolet, ultrasound, X-rays, γ-rays, etc. ② warmth has an inhibitory effect on the spermatogenesis process of the testes: such as long-term wearing of tight-fitting clothes and pants to make the scrotum regulate temperature dysfunction, and affect the spermatogenic function. Excessive cycling, motorcycles, tricycles and horseback riding: this often causes chronic strain and congestion to the prostate and other accessory glands, affecting their function and aggravating chronic inflammation, affecting fertility. ③Toxic and harmful substances: such as heavy metals such as aluminum, cobalt and lead, as well as cotton phenol, pesticides, herbicides and preservatives can all cause damage to the spermatogenic function of the testicles. ④Malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and vitamin deficiency can all lead to infertility. The root cause of decreased male fertility is environmental pollution that destroys the human living environment. Chemical drugs, pesticides, plastic products and other chemical “reproductive toxins” in the soil can not be quickly degraded, and eventually through the enrichment of the biological chain into the human body, because these toxins are a kind of estrogenic substances, relatively small impact on women, but become the male reproductive system “invisible killer “They damage the testicular spermatogenic epithelium, affect sperm production, interfere with hormonal balance, and affect the further maturation of sperm. Environmental estrogens like DDT, PCBs, and dioxins can cause constant androgenic reproductive system disorders of the same degree. According to the Institute of Environmental Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, PCBs used in the 1980s to dismantle transformers in an industry in a southern province of China are still present in the environment and pose a threat more than a decade ago. Studies have shown that although environmental estrogen activity is low, when any two or more substances act together their activity is greatly increased, even by more than 1000 times. Another major factor causing male infertility is reproductive system infection, some data show that infertility has a reproductive tract infection factor accounting for 52.26%, the proliferation of sexually transmitted diseases has become a major cause of infertility caused by sexually transmitted diseases, mycoplasma solium is common, the detection rate of 40-58%, mycoplasma can adhere to the “parasite” in the body of the sperm, resulting in reduced viability, increased malformation. Mycoplasma can adhere to the body of the sperm, resulting in reduced viability and increased malformation. In addition, poor lifestyle habits lead to a decrease in immune resistance and susceptibility to pathogens, increasing the incidence of reproductive tract infections, such as chronic prostatitis leading to infertility of 5-25%, inflammation causes a decrease in the quality of seminal plasma and induces the production of anti-sperm antibodies. Treatment of infertility Currently, in response to the increasing incidence of infertility, in-depth studies of the reproductive system from genetics, microbiology, immunology, and reproductive endocrinology have been conducted, and patients’ fertility can be evaluated by semen analysis, endocrine immunology, bacteriology, Doppler ultrasound, and sperm penetration tests, and there has been some progress in diagnosis and treatment. For example, from the perspective of endocrine research, hormone resistance causing oligospermia is proposed, while the detection of pathogenic microorganisms allows for effective targeted treatment of infectious infertility. The use of tamoxifen, zinc protein complex, levocarnitine, Chinese medicine and simultaneous treatment of prostate disease and varicocele have led to improvement in semen quality in patients. Application of creatine phosphate and in vitro addition of astragalus can also improve sperm quality, and injections for assisted reproduction are effective for hypersecretory infertility; medical fertility techniques have evolved from artificial insemination and IVF to intracytoplasmic microinjection of sperm with a fertilization rate of 55.4%, bringing hope to patients with obstructive azoospermia. It is worth mentioning that traditional Chinese medicine in China has a unique advantage in the treatment of infertility. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine discussed eloquently the relationship between the human kidney energy on growth, development and reproduction, and the famous formula “Wu Zi Yan Zong Tang” from the Tang dynasty has been handed down through the ages, giving rise to many clinical prescriptions for treating infertility. The bi-directional endocrine regulation function of the Chinese medicine formula, which is higher than the level of estrogen and androgen, reflects the essence of Chinese medicine “holistic treatment and seeking the root of the disease”. The efficacy of the combination of Chinese and Western medicine in treating infertility is much higher than that of a single drug, which is the advantage of Chinese masculology. How to prevent male infertility and improve fertility? Male infertility can be a huge blow to many families. There are some bad habits that can directly affect sexual function and lead to infertility. (1) No smoking and no alcohol. Men drink too much alcohol and smoking, can lead to low testicular function, affecting sperm production; women drink and smoke, can affect the endocrine function, leading to menstrual disorders resulting in amenorrhea and infertility. (2) grasp the amount of exercise. Excessive exercise can damage the secretion of hormones in men and women, disrupting the ovulation pattern and limiting semen secretion. (3) Change your eating habits. A partial diet or vegetarian diet may affect the production and combination of sperm and eggs. Therefore, the main and secondary food should be adjusted as much as possible to make it more diverse. (4) Avoid mental stimulation. The couple should get along with each other, discuss and solve conflicts, not to argue or sulk, and a good mental state can keep the hormone secretion balance in the body. (5) Keep the scrotum cool. The temperature inside the scrotum is 1 to 1.5 degrees lower than the usual body temperature. If the temperature of the testicles inside the scrotum rises, it will affect its sperm production function and lead to male infertility. For this reason, it is usually important to keep the scrotum cool and not wear tight-fitting pants. (6) grasp the time of intercourse; prevent the intercourse too often. The actual fact is that you can find a lot of people who are not able to get a lot of money for the purpose of the actual project. Since the survival time of sperm is not too long, usually only about 2~3 days, having intercourse in the “fertile period” can increase the chance of conception. Infertile couples should eat the following foods in their daily lives to improve their fertility: (1) Zinc-rich foods: various plant foods with high zinc content include beans, peanuts, millet, radish, cabbage, etc.; various animal foods, oysters are the richest in zinc, in addition, beef, chicken liver, eggs, lamb chops, pork, etc. also contain more zinc. (2) animal offal: this kind of food contains more amount of cholesterol, of which, about 10% is about biological hormones and sex hormones, appropriate consumption of this kind of food, to enhance sexual function has a certain role. (3) slippery food: according to research has confirmed that arginine is a necessary component of sperm formation, and can enhance sperm activity, and has an important role in the maintenance of the normal function of the male reproductive system. Foods rich in arginine include fish bladder, eel, sea cucumber, cuttlefish, octopus, wood pine fish, sesame, soybeans and their products, yam, ginkgo, peanut kernel, walnuts. Male infertility is not an independent disease, but a clinical syndrome. The cause of the disease can be a single, but also the result of a variety of factors, diagnosis and treatment have considerable complexity. As long as the environmental pollution of human life is effectively controlled, couples of reproductive age improve their knowledge of reproductive medicine and health care, avoid bad habits such as wearing tight jeans, excessive smoking and drinking, frequent sauna baths, cleanliness, and not contracting sexually transmitted diseases, the reproductive crisis of human beings themselves can be curbed. With the development of medical science, through standardized combined Chinese and Western medicine treatment, most infertility patients will achieve the goal of parenthood and family happiness.