Sperm, the source of human race reproduction, is the key to male fertility. Currently, the incidence of human infertility is increasing. As 10.28 Men’s Health Day is approaching, Prof. Zhou Shaohu talks about the causes and prevention of male infertility. What is male infertility? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), male infertility is a condition in which a couple has been living together for more than one year after marriage without taking any contraceptive measures, and the female partner is infertile due to male factors. According to WHO, infertility is a global problem that affects both men and women. About 8% of couples of reproductive age suffer from infertility, and according to this estimation, there are 50~80 million people in the world who have fertility problems. According to the latest survey of 19,595 couples conducted by the Guangdong family planning system in 2005, the incidence of infertility among couples of childbearing age in Guangdong Province who married at the beginning of their lives was 14.7%. The World Health Organization predicts that in the 21st century, infertility will become the third largest disease in human beings after tumor and cardiovascular disease. Causes of Male Infertility The root cause of the decline in 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 ultimately through the enrichment of the biological chain into the human body, due to these toxins is a kind of estrogenic substances, the relative impact on women is small, and become a male reproductive system of the “invisible killer Because these toxins are estrogenic substances, they have relatively little effect on women, but become “hidden killers” of the male reproductive system, damaging the testicular spermatogenic epithelium, affecting spermatogenesis, interfering with hormone balance, and affecting the further maturation of sperm. Environmental estrogens such as DDT, PCBs and dioxins can cause constant male reproductive disorders to the same degree. Another major factor causing male infertility is reproductive system infection, some data show that infertility has reproductive tract infections accounted for 52.26%, the proliferation of sexually transmitted diseases has become a major cause of infertility caused by sexually transmitted diseases to Mycoplasma lupus urealyticum, the detection rate of 40-58%, Mycoplasma can adhere to the “parasite” in the body of the spermatozoa, resulting in decreased viability and increased deformities. It can adhere to and “parasitize” the sperm, leading to decreased vitality and increased malformations. In addition, bad habits lead to a decline in the body’s immune resistance, such as chronic prostatitis, leading to infertility incidence of 5-25%, inflammation caused by a decline in the quality of seminal plasma, inducing the production of anti-sperm antibodies. Infertility treatment At present, for the rising incidence of infertility, there is some progress in diagnosis and treatment. The use of tamoxifen, zinc complex protein, levocanidin, traditional Chinese medicine and the simultaneous treatment of prostate disease and varicocele have all led to an improvement in the quality of the patient’s semen. Application of creatine phosphate and in vitro addition of astragalus can also improve sperm quality, and injections for assisted reproduction are effective for hyposecretory infertility; medical fertility techniques have evolved from artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization to intracytoplasmic microinjection of spermatozoa, which has brought hope to patients with obstructive azoospermia. It is worth mentioning that China’s traditional Chinese medicine has a unique advantage in treating infertility. As early as in the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (HUANGDI NEIJING) has eloquently discussed the relationship of kidney energy to growth, development and reproduction, and in the Tang Dynasty, the famous formula “Wu Zi Diffractive Zong Tang” has been handed down to the world, giving rise to many clinical prescriptions for the treatment of infertility. The two-way endocrine regulation function of Chinese medicine compound on human body, which is higher than the level of estrogen and androgen, embodies the essence of Chinese medicine, “holistic treatment, seek the root of the disease”. The therapeutic effect of combining Chinese and Western medicines in treating infertility is much higher than that of a single drug, which is the advantage of Chinese andrology. How to prevent male infertility? Male infertility is a great blow to many families. Some bad habits can directly affect sexual function and lead to infertility. 1, prohibit smoking and alcohol. Excessive drinking and smoking can lead to low testicular function and affect sperm production; drinking and smoking can affect the endocrine function of women, leading to menstrual disorders and amenorrhea and infertility. 2, grasp the amount of exercise. Too intense exercise will destroy the hormone secretion of men and women, disrupt the ovulation pattern, and limit the semen secretion. 3, change dietary habits. Eating a partial diet or vegetarian diet may affect the production and combination of sperm and eggs. Therefore, in the main and secondary food, should be adjusted as much as possible, so as to make it more diversified. 4, avoid mental stimulation. Husbands and wives to do to get along with each other, encounter conflicts to discuss the solution, do not quarrel, do not sulk, a good state of mind can maintain the body’s hormone secretion balance. 5, keep the scrotum cool. The temperature in the scrotum is 1~1.5 degrees lower than the usual body temperature, and elevated testicular temperature will affect its spermatogenic function. For this reason, usually pay attention to keep the scrotum cool, do not wear tight pants. 6, grasp the time of coitus; prevent excessive frequency of intercourse. Intercourse too often, can make the man in the number of sperm production, there is a significant shortage, so that the requirements of conception; women about the 14th day before menstruation ovulation, egg survival time is only one day, this time is “easy pregnancy”. Since the survival time of sperm is only about 2-3 days, choosing to have intercourse during the “easy period” can increase the chances of conception. Diet and improve fertility 1, zinc-rich food: plant plant food containing high levels of zinc beans, peanuts, millet, walnuts, sesame seeds, etc.; animal food, oysters are the most rich in zinc, in addition, beef, chicken liver, eggs, pig’s liver, etc. containing zinc. 2, animal offal: this kind of food contains a large amount of cholesterol, of which, about 10% is rich in biological hormones and sex hormones. Appropriate consumption of this type of food, to enhance sexual function has a certain role. 3, slippery viscous food: arginine is a necessary component of sperm formation, and can enhance the sperm activity. Arginine-rich foods are swim bladder, clam paste, eel, sea cucumber, cuttlefish, octopus, loach fish, sesame seeds, yam, ginkgo, walnuts and so on. Male infertility is a clinical syndrome. The cause of the disease can be a single, but also can be the result of a variety of factors, diagnosis and treatment have considerable complexity. As long as the pollution of the human living environment is effectively controlled, couples of childbearing age to improve the level of knowledge of reproductive medicine and health care, to avoid bad habits, can curb the reproductive crisis of human beings themselves. With the development of medical science, through the standardized combination of Chinese and Western medicine treatment, most of the infertility patients will be able to achieve the purpose of parenthood and family happiness.