How smoking affects male fertility

Cigarette smoking is one of the main causes of life-threatening diseases, such as, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer of the lungs, bladder, cervix, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and stomach. On top of all these reasons not to smoke, recent studies show that there is a strong link between smoking and male infertility. 

So, why is smoking so bad for your fertility? 

The smoke consumed from cigarettes has been proven to have a detrimental effect on various parameters of semen analysis, and of course, we know that healthy semen is essential for conception.   

Below is an excerpt from: The Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Male Fertility (2016) 

‘A cross-sectional analysis of 2542 healthy men from 1987 to 2004 by Ramlau-Hansen found that on semen analysis, cigarette smokers had lower semen volumes, sperm counts, and percentage of motile sperm compared to men who did not smoke. Further, it was suggested that the relationship between smoking and sperm concentration was dose-dependent. Indeed, men who smoked > 20 cigarettes per day experienced a 19% reduction in sperm concentration compared with nonsmokers.’ 

Another study (2016) was done with a large group of 1786 men undergoing infertility treatment (655 smokers and 1131 nonsmokers). The experiment showed that smoking was associated with a decrease in sperm density (15.3%), total sperm count (17.5%) and total motile sperm (16.6%) compared with nonsmokers. Moreover, morphology as well as ejaculate levels was higher in nonsmokers than smokers. 

So, guys...there you have it!  

The evidence suggests that men trying to conceive should quit smoking to help their chances of conception. Now if this applies to you, but seems like an impossible task, please don’t worry! There are many different ways which you can start.   

For example, why not try joining a support group? Such as, Nicotine Anonymous.   

If this doesn't suit you, why not try telling a family member or close friend and ask for their support. Chances are, they'll be delighted to help you!

Now, you might prefer to handle it all by yourself, which is very admirable. But, if you do want a little help along the way, we recommend listening to Meditation to Quit Smoking. These soothing videos will talk you through why you’re quitting and are a gentle reminder to you of the importance of stopping smoking. They’re also super easy to follow and completely free! 

We recommend this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfca8k2khIA 

You can even leave it on as you sleep...no effort required! 

Now, it’s also important to mention second-hand smoking, as this can have further detrimental effects on fertility. If you have a partner who smokes or live with someone who is a smoker, this is definitely something to mention to them. Of course you can't control what other people do, but if it's affecting your fertility, it's something they should respect and will hopefully become mindful of.

Ok guys, we hope this helps!