Slow Sperm aka Asthenozoospermia

preconception pregnancy

Today we’re going to talk about slow sperm, also known as asthenozoospermia (AZS).
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AZS is diagnosed when less than 32% of sperm is able to move efficiently (usually measured within 60 minutes of collection) and is detected in more than 40% of infertile patients.
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While genes can affect a tiny part of the population with this issue, there is a much larger but fixable problem at play.
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Sperm motility (movement) is dependent on aerobic energy metabolism (our ability to create energy aka ATP).
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Cytochrome C Oxidase (CCO), a copper-dependent enzyme, is the rate-limiting step for energy creation.
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Basically, slow sperm is an energy deficiency...which can be driven by a copper deficiency.
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So how can you make your partner’s sperm faster? Here are some quick tips:
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〰️Get more copper in their diet. See my ‘copper-rich foods’ post.
〰️Get more retinol in their diet. See my ‘beta carotene is not real vitamin A (retinol)’ post.
〰️Get more fruit in their diet. Sperm is powered by fructose.
〰️Reduce stressors, which redirect reproductive resources away from reproduction and to survival. This includes stressors like fasting and low-carb diets, which shift away aerobic energy metabolism and produce lactate.
〰️Eat meat. Vegans and vegetarians have been proven to have significantly lower sperm motility than their meat-eating counterparts.
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Not medical advice.

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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Mancuso, M. Filosto, M. Bosetti, F. Ceravolo, R. Rocchi, A. Tognoni, G. Manca, M.L. Solaini, G. Siciliano, G. Murri, L. (2003). Decreased platelet cytochrome c oxidase activity is accompanied by increased blood lactate concentration during exercise in patients with Alzheimer disease. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12895452/.

Orzylowska, E.M. Jacobsen, J.D. Bareh, G.M. Ko, E.Y. Corselli, J.U. Chan, P.J. (2016). Food intake diet and sperm characteristics in a blue zone: a Loma Linda Study. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27280539/.

 Sha, Y. Liu, W. Huang, X. Li, Y. Ji, Z. Mei, L. Lin, S. Kong, S. Lu, J. Kong, L. Zhu, X. Lu, Z. Ding, L.
(2019). EIF4G1 is a novel candidate gene associated with severe asthenozoospermia. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6687618/

Tvrda, E. Peer, R. Sikka, S.C. Agarwal, A. (2013). Iron and copper in male reproduction: a double-edged sword. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25245929/.

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.