Post Date December, 03 2023
Male infertility is currently a popular topic. There are various reasons for male infertility, and according to the nature of infertility, it can be generally divided into two categories: absolute infertility and relative infertility. The former accounts for less than 10% of the total number of infertility, while the latter, also known as low fertility individuals, accounts for over 90% of the total number of infertility. According to the length of the infertility cycle of couples, these low fertility individuals can be further divided into the following categories:
1、 Couples with normal sexual life: Those who cohabit for more than 6 months and cannot conceive the female partner are generally in a low fertility state;
2、 Couples with normal sexual life: Those who cohabit for more than two years and cannot conceive the female partner belong to the moderate to low fertility range;
3、 Couples who have lived together for more than five years and are unable to conceive the female partner are considered severely infertile.
Zheng Dianzeng, a male specialist at Shanghai Urology Hospital, Deputy Chief Physician, said: Most of the patients with low fertility mentioned above can be treated. In the past decade, research has found that the fertility disorders of some low fertility patients are related to the lack or alteration of trace elements. It is now known that the main trace elements related to fertility include zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, magnesium, etc. They not only participate in maintaining the stability of the sperm survival environment, but also participate in the composition of sperm, which is closely related to sperm maturation, capacitation, and acrosome reaction.
Among these trace elements, zinc deficiency is the most common. There are reports that zinc is positively correlated with the quality of semen and the density of sperm; Zinc deficiency can affect sperm metabolism and motility, as well as affect the development of gonads; When zinc is insufficient, pituitary function is affected, and the secretion of gonadotropins is reduced, which can lead to gonadal dysplasia or dysfunction of the endocrine function of the gonads; In addition, zinc is also involved in the composition of various enzymes in the body, serving as a cofactor for over 100 enzymes. Zinc deficiency can directly affect the activity of these enzymes, such as reducing the liquefaction factor secreted by the prostate, causing poor semen liquefaction, and affecting fertilization.
