How Do the Results of a Fertility Survey Impact on Vasectomy Reversal Success Rates?
This page, by urologic microsurgeon, author and vas reversal authority Dr. Sheldon Marks, reviews many important facts about male fertility and lifestyle that was taught at a recent international male fertility conference.
A company that sells semen analysis testing equipment performed an online survey and reported some interesting trends in men who are trying to father children, described at an international meeting of the world’s urologists. This information is important for couples trying to have children after vasectomy reversal. Of course, these studies are only as valid for those men that chose to answer the online questions, so there likely are some biases. In general, though, what they came up with fits with what we know and makes sense to those of us in the male fertility field.
They reported that 65% of the men who responded sit for long stretches at work. Of course, being sedentary and not moving is not healthy and can lead to weight and blood sugar issues (1). Plus, one must wonder if prolonged sitting can increase the heat down around the testicles which we know is bad for sperm production and quality.
Researchers also found out that 60% of the men that responded exercise 20 minutes, only one or two times a week or less. Again, not moving much is not good for weight, general health and so increases risks for health problems that can hurt sperm production. We already know that excessive, extreme exercise can be bad for sperm as well.
Surprisingly, 65% of the men said that they eat fruit and vegetables less than once a day. Since we know that a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables is associated with better health and increased fertility, it makes sense to increase the diet to have more fruits and vegetables at mealtimes and as snacks (2). This increase in fruits and vegetables has become part of our standard instructions for men before and after a vas reversal.
Almost 21% of the men described having some degree of ED (erectile dysfunction) in the prior year. Considering that this is a relatively young population of men who are trying to father children, this is of concern. This ED could be from a variety of reasons, but poor health as a result of a bad diet and minimal exercise might play a role.
If these numbers are suggestive of most of the men trying to father children, then this should be a wake-up call. It is a smart time for men to look at lifestyle choices and make a change to eat better, be active during the day when possible and exercise regularly. For men who are considering a vasectomy reversal, it is smart not to wait to start these sperm healthy lifestyle changes.
Our team of senior professionals is available to answer questions about lifestyle, nutrition, fertility and vasectomy reversal success rates. When ready, we can set up a no cost consult with either of our two urologic microsurgeons by phone, in office, Zoom, Skype or Face Time.
This page was reviewed, edited and updated on July 13, 2023, by Sheldon H.F. Marks, MD.
References:
- Eisenberg ML, Kim S, Chen Z, Sundaram R, Schisterman EF, Buck Louis GM. The relationship between male BMI and waist circumference on sperm quality data from the LIFE study. Hum Reprod 2014;29(2):193-200).
- Showell MG, Mackenzie-Proctor R, Brown J, Yazdani A, Stankiewicz MT, Hart RJ. Antioxidants for male subfertility. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD007411.).
