Infertility Of Men : Some Facts and Remedies

What is Infertility of Men?

In today’s fast-paced busy lives, taking time out for ourselves often seems like a task. Wherein some issues do not even have the certainty of resolution. One of these issues is infertility. Infertility is the inability of sexually active, non-contracepting healthy couple to achieve pregnancy in one year. Infertility can prevail in the couple or either of them.

In today’s blog, we will talk about infertility of men, its causes and an Ayurveda’s intervention in maintaining reproductive health. Male infertility refers to the male’s inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female. In human’s accounts of 40-50% of infertility, it affects approximately 7% of all men. In other words, a defect in count of semen or in motility is referred to as male infertility.

Factors Affecting Male Fertility

Some of the known and unknown causes of infertility are Varicocele – 17%, Uro-Genital infection -9%, Hypogonadism – 10%, Undescended Testis -8% and Sexual factors – 6%. There are many unexplained factors which account for almost 34% cases. From these factors, it can be understood that male infertility may occur due to lifestyle disorders, infections, or because of genetic disorders. Genetic causes are difficult to treat but the other man-made causes can be treated through different scientific and ayurvedic methods.

Ayurveda and Infertility

Ayurveda is said to use the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. Thus, Ayurveda is considered as more than a mere healing medical system. It is a science and art of appropriate living, which helps achieve longevity.

The Ayurveda advocates the treatment for curative health protection and promotion especially when we talk about Panchkarma which advocates administration of Rasayana (rejuvenation) and Vajeekarana medicaments.

• Vajikarana or Vrishya Chikitsa

Science of aphrodisiacs, virility and improving the health of progeny. Vajikarana deals with preservation and amplification of sexual potency of healthy man and conception of healthy progeny (offspring). This branch deals under the treatment of defective semen and disturbed sexual potency and treatment of sperm related disorders.

• Ayurveda explains the importance of the management of infertility

It has glorified purification therapy and explained the importance of the management of infertility. Purification therapy purifies the sperm/ovum (Beeja) thus making it effective for fertilization. It also improves sexual vigour (Vrishata) and helps in conceiving. Kshina Shukra is one of the Shukra Dosha which is the common etiology for infertility. Kshina denotes decreased state either quantitative or qualitative degradation of Shukra Dhatu or both.

WHO guidelines say a person possessing sperm count less than 15 million/ml is suffering from oligozoospermia which can be readily correlated to Ksheena Shukra. Purification therapy is considered as the choice of Shodhana in the management of Kshina Shukra.

If the body is biologically purified and cleansed the physiological equilibrium of the cell processes is restored, his Agni increases, his disorder disappears and his normal health returns. His sense, mind, understanding and complexion become clear. With the delayed ageing process, he lives a long life, free of diseases. Therefore, a person should take skillfully administered purification procedures. One acquires long life by taking properly the purification treatment that cleanses one of the impurities, dispels disease and restores vitality and complexion.

Tips to avoid infertility at the simplest

We can do two simple things to avoid infertility:

• Drink warm milk before going to bed at night
• Do not wear tight undergarments
• Maintain health lifestyle.
• Exercise regularly.
• Have nutritious & healthy diet.

It is rightly said that Ayurveda is a solution to all the worldly problems. Life indeed throws lemons at us, and we sure can make lemonade out of it.

About Expert

Dr Ashutosh Chaturvedi (Ph.D Panchkarma) has a wide range of research experience. He is expert in MD(Ayu) PhD, FAGE, PEC in Diabetes (Gasglow). He is the Author of 2 famous books : Ayurvedic Purification & Basti Chikitsa.