Research sheds new light on why some men have fertility problems - and what can be done to turn things around! By Colette Bouchez
While a great deal of the difficulty in getting pregnant is frequently focused on women, it’s important to remember that up to 50% of all fertility problems are male related.
Now, two new studies offer important pieces in the male fertility puzzle, helping to sort out the reason why some couples may be having problems conceiving. Moreover, both new studies point to a defect in a protein involved in helping sperm to mature and grow as the key culprit.
“Our study shows for the first time to our knowledge that [this protein]…. is associated with a strong impact on fertility outcome,” says lead study author Dr. Jessica Escoffier of the Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, one of two locations where the independent research was conducted.
Indeed, one of the major causes of male infertility is related to sperm which fail to fully develop. When this occurs, two possible problems result. The first is a decrease in sperm motility – meaning that the “little guys” either can’t swim quickly enough to reach the egg in time, or that they lose their direction when they try to swim.
But even if his sperm does successfully reach it’s destination, without proper maturation, entry into the shell of the egg is not possible - and that means fertilization will not take place.
While there have been many theories as to what can keep both these problems from occurring, today two new studies have independently shown that a defect in proteins crucial for sperm development may be at the root of the problem.
In the one study, conducted at The Toyko Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, a group of Japanese researchers zeroed in on a protein which is expressed in the area of the testes where sperm is made . Test subjects who were lacking in this protein ejaculated sperm that were considered “immature” – or not yet ready to fertilize an egg. Both motility and the ability to penetrate the egg appeared to be impacted.
In the study, conducted at the Grenoble Institute of Neurosicence in France, Escoffier and her colleagues found that this same protein played an essential role in the health of the “acrosome” - a portion of the head of each sperm that produces enzymes which help break down an egg’s shell , allowing entry and subsequently, fertilization to occur. In subjects who were lacking this protein, sperm were not able to fertilize an egg in the test tube – the process known as IVF.
Although the research was done in mice and not humans, researchers say they are confidant that the results are applicable and may represent a whole new target for both male fertility medications which target and excite this protein, as well as male contraceptives which help dampen the activity of the protein.
Both studies were published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
In the meantime, remember that many advances in the treatment of male fertility can help nearly all men to father a child. In the procedure known as ICSI, for example, individual sperm are extracted from a man's testicles and placed directly into the egg, thereby reducing a great many of the obstacles to conception.
Also remember that many men can dramatically improve the health of their sperm via simple changes in diet and lifestyle. Good nutrition, along with avoiding certain foods, can be the deciding factor that helps some men go from infertile to fertile without any medical treatments.
To learn more about the foods that can help male fertility click here.
Or visit www.GettingPregnantNow.org to learn more about the latest natural and medical treatments for helping you get pregnant fast!
Copyright by ElleMedia/ Colette Bouchez 2010 - All Rights Reserved.In addition to US Copyright, the text of this FERTILITY BLOG is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.
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