It has long been held that zinc and folic acid can aid in male fertility, but a recent study counters that belief. Are you wasting your money if you rely on these supplements to help improve sperm count or quality of sperm?

Understanding Infertility

Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected and regular intercourse. 15% of American couples suffer from infertility and 30% of the time, it is due to male infertility. There can be a multitude of factors involved in these situations including medical, emotional, psychological, environmental, and lifestyle issues.

In order to discover the reason behind your fertility struggles, it is always best to seek the assistance of Urology Specialists of Oregon.

In order to achieve pregnancy, male sperm must meet the following requirements:

• Sperm must be healthy
• At least one testicle needs to be functioning properly
• A man’s body must produce enough testosterone to maintain sperm production
• Having a sufficient volume of sperm (low sperm count is considered less than 15 million sperm per ml)
• Sperm must be have functional mobility

Issues in any of these areas can contribute greatly to a man’s problems with infertility.

Facts Concerning the Latest Tests

Quite recently, tests results were released to the public concerning whether zinc and folic acid supplements can boost fertility in men. The tests were conducted at four sites in the U.S.

2380 couples who were planning to have fertility treatments were divided into two groups. Half the men (with a mean age of 33 years) took supplements containing 30 mg of zinc and 5 mg of folic acid for six months. The other group was given a placebo. All couples engaged in unprotected and regular sexual intercourse during that time.

At the end of the 6 month period, semen analysis concluded there was no significant difference in sperm count, no improvement in sperm quality, and no difference in fertility itself.

They did note, however, that the supplements can cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

Contact Urology Specialists of Oregon for a sperm analysis and any further tests to determine the cause of your infertility.

As always, if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call (541) 322-5753 or request an appointment online today!