What is Andrology?

It is a very common question and very commonly asked that what is andrology. Andrology is a branch that is not very commonly discussed or very commonly known among the general public but the diseases and the problems that andrologists cures are many and are very important. Andrology is the study of men. Men including all problems occurring in men but with time it has come to mean mostly sexual problems or problems associated with the genitourinary tract, genitourinary tract.

What is the genitourinary tract?

The genitourinary tract is the tract that has to do with urine. So, it will include your kidneys, it will include your kidneys from where the urine is produced, it will include your bladder where the urine is stored and it will include all the organs which come when the urine goes out which includes the prostate and the urethra. But that is urology.

So, andrology has come to mean basically treatment of organs in this area that is the prostate, the penis, and the urethra and mostly the sexual problems occurring in this region. So, andrology is the study of sexual problems in men in a layman’s language.

Who is an Andrologist?

An andrologist would be a doctor who is trained in the study of andrology (Andrology Training). As on today, there multiple institutions in India offering Andrology Training and Andrology Certificate Course. Mostly an andrologist would be a doctor who has had experience in the study of andrology. Mostly these people are doctors who are from the background of urology.

Medline Academics, one of the growing institutions in Reproductive Medicine which offers numerous courses in Andrology. From Basics to Advanced Andrology training, this institution covers in-depth particulars about andrology and its aspects that is useful for all the would be andrologists. Medline Academics has a dedicated andrology lab for practical training which ensures that there is no distraction while learning new skills. Further, the mentees are trained under experts in the field reducing the chances of errors to almost nil. Certification for Andrology and other training courses are provided in Medline Academics upon the successful completion of the course.

Is low sperm count the only problem with males / Do they have other problems?

low sperm count is one of the more important things. But there are many reasons for that. Sometimes, even normal sperms may have infertility. Even though males have normal sperm count, the additional things we see today is the DNA fragmentation index.

There is varicocele – when the sperm is normal, there is less chance of infertility. low sperm count is an important, but not the only cause. Even with a normal sperm count, even if the quality is good, sometimes there may be a problem. So, by taking care of the health of males, by having proper evaluation, we can pinpoint the reason and we can proceed.

When couples come for a second baby checkup, especially husbands, they ask, we already have a baby. I was infertile at that time. Why are you asking for a semen analysis repeatedly? The fact that the husband did a semen test is a big thing. So, what they all think is, males will always be healthy. There is a lot of chance of that. But what a doctor may observe is secondary infertility. Especially when there is a gap between the child and the second child, when there is a gap, when the wife’s age is more, the female factor is more common. But still, for males, due to some reasons, due to some known reasons, due to some unknown reasons, the sperm counts may drop. But the good thing about this is, for somebody who has already fathered a child, it is not due to pregnancy or miscarriage.

Somebody who has already fathered a child, even if they have a problem like a varicose or any hormonal issues, lifestyle issues, the success rate of improvement is actually good for them. In the same way, the first child is conceived naturally. But for the second child, when they go for IVF for some reason, if they have that male problem, if they have that male problem, if they improve it, there is a chance for them to be successful. So, let’s take it that way. Even for the first time IVF, a lot of them are conceived naturally for the second time. Likewise, for those who succeeded in the first IVF, the second IVF is more successful than for somebody else.

Let’s take it that way. A couple came for IVF and succeeded. Should we try for IVF the next time? Or do they have a chance for natural conception?

There is no need to do IVF again. It depends on the reason why they did IVF. Now, there is no problem in their tubes. Sperm parameters are okay. If they do IVF for unexplained infertility, for the second time, a lot of people are conceived naturally. Because it is only the social pressure that they undergo. For the first time, because of the social pressure, they wanted to get pregnant at some point. Because of the social pressure, the unexplained infertility has increased rapidly. For the female, everything is fine. For the male, all the parameters are normal. But then, they will struggle to conceive. Because of the social pressure, they will try for IUI. Even after 4 cycles, because of the unsuccessful IVF, they go for IVF. So, people like that, for the second time, they are conceiving naturally. Because of the stress, they take care of their lifestyle.

Let’s come to the lifestyle now…

Do you know that what you eat can silently destroy your sperm? Yes, there is an enemy of your sperm and fertility hidden in your kitchen. And this is such a thing in which if you want children, if you don’t want them, if you are young, if you are older, then you need to know all this. Because now we discuss about 7 such foods that kill your sperm…

• Processed Meat – The bacon, sausage, salami that you eat or your tongue likes, but not your sperm. There are three bad things in processed meat. Saturated fats, nitrates, preservatives. These three increase oxidative stress. A study by Harvard came out in 2014 by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in which it was found that the man who eats all these things, means processed meat, his sperm count is 23% lower than those who do not eat. See, imagine if you close your eyes and think, as soon as you put all this in your mouth, you will think that free radicals will come out of it, which will kill your sperm like arrows.
• Soya – Soya contains phytoestrogen. These are plant compounds, which become like women’s hormones. And due to excess, they spoil the hormonal balance, and reduce sperm production. Because it is like a woman’s hormone. So, a study came out in Human Reproduction in 2008, which found that those who take high soya, their sperm count concentration is low. Think that phytoestrogen is like, in your hormone orchestra, there is a noise from behind. This confuses testosterone, which spoils your sperm count. So, reduce soya milk.
• Tofu – What is the story behind it? This happened, cheese happened, this kind of cheese happened, or this kind of milk happened. It has estrogenic hormone in it. This estrogenic hormone, comes from pregnant cows. And the pesticides, in our vegetables, the fodder, there are pesticides in it. It gets stored in fat. A study came out in Fertility Storality in 2013. And they found that those who take, full fat dairy, their sperm motility and morphology is down. Imagine, there is a sperm, which has to be swimmed, and it is trying to steam, from sticky milk like fat. It will become slow, tired, and deformed.
• Processed Food and Beverages – All these sodas, sugary fats, black, white, airy, all these things, Coke, Limca, Fanta, all these things, and along with them, junk food. Sperm killers, are sitting in your fridge. All these sodas, energy drinks, fried junk food, they trigger insulin resistance, increase obesity, increase oxidative stress, and all these things, are very harmful, to your sperm health. A Danish study, by Jensen et al., in 2010, found that, a person, who drinks 1 liter of soda per day, soda means these drinks, their sperm count, is 30% less, than non-drinkers. See, every soda, is like you are pouring acid, on your sperm factory. See, you are burning the sperm factory. If you want to stop this, stop it today itself.
• Alcohol – Estrogen, a woman’s hormone, damages the liver, makes acetaldehyde, which is toxic, for sperm DNA. World Health Organization, came up with a very simple thing, that chronic alcoholism, reduces testosterone, reduces your testicular volume. Every shot of alcohol, is reducing your sperm factory, reducing production, and dropping quality.
• Salads / Veggies / Fruits – We say that, salad is very good, very beneficial, I only eat salad, my sperm will be very good. But the story is not like that. Because, all the fruits and veggies, which are available in our country, have pesticides, which are endocrine disrupting. There is a study by Harvard Earth, in 2015, in which it has been shown, that the food that humans eat, if there is the highest pesticide in these foods, then the sperm count is 49% lower. Close your eyes and think, that a chemical, is tied to your sperm. It is tied and trying to come out. First of all, take organic if available. Otherwise, your food, fruits, vegetables, salads, wash it very well. Because, it should be very clean.
• Fast Food / Bakery – All these packets of salt, all these packets of spicy things, all of these have trans-fat. What is trans-fat? All these chips, they kill your fertility. Trans fat, is such a fat, which is used cheaply. It gives oxidative stress and inflammation. There is a study by Human Reproduction 2011, the more trans-fat there is, the lower the sperm concentration, and testicular volume. These trans fats, are spoiling your sperm factory. Leave packaged food, leave fast food, and eat nuts, or omega 3 rich foods, like walnuts, seeds, eat all these things.

These seven foods kill sperm, but antioxidant rich foods, are very good for you. What are these foods?

• Walnuts
• Berries
• Spinach
• Omega 3 fatty acids

There was a Cochrane Review in 2019, in which it was confirmed, that oxidants improve sperm motility, and pregnancy rate. So, understand one thing, if you want to kill this bad fat, then do it. In your diet plan, do take food and supplements.

At Dr. Kamini Rao Hospitals, nutrition and fitness counselling services are offered so that you can include a plate full of wellness to your fertility journey without killing those precious and good sperms. Additionally, if you are looking for female infertility treatment in Bangalore, this hospital provides you the best outcomes. With experts trained under Padma Shri Prof. Dr. Kamini A Rao, you don’t have to worry about your treatment plan. Our experts undergo a series of tests to determine the root cause and plan your treatment journey accordingly. With Dr. Kamini Rao Hospitals, you are in safe hands.