n many cultures, women are unfairly blamed for the inability of a
sexually active couple to conceive. In reality, men suffer from
infertility issues just as frequently as women. According to statistics
from the National Infertility Association (an organization also known as
RESOLVE), between 35 percent and 40 percent of infertility problems
among couples are actually caused by male conditions. Several factors
may be responsible for male infertility, including low sperm count,
abnormal sperm shape and size, and reduced motility. Lifestyle,
genetics, and physiological changes can also raise or lower male
fertility levels, and can significantly affect a man's ability to
produce offspring.
Previous research has shown that
acupuncture can improve fertility levels in women. Fewer studies on male
infertility have been conducted, although evidence suggests that
acupuncture can have an effect on sperm production and quality, without
causing any changes in behavior or sexual desire. A recent trial
published in Fertility and Sterility has shown just how
effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of this condition, leading
to significant increases in the number of normal sperm and equally
significant reductions in structural defects. In the
study, 28 men who were diagnosed with idiopathic infertility received
acupuncture twice a week over a period of 5 weeks. The following
acupuncture points were used as main points: Guan yuan (Ren 4), shen shu (UB 23, bilateral), ci liao (UB 32, bilateral), tai cong (Liv 3, bilateral), and tai xi (KI 3, bilateral). Secondary points included zhu san li (ST 36, bilateral), xue hai (SP 10, bilateral), san yin jiao (SP 6, bilateral), gui lai (ST 29, bilateral), and bai hui
(Du 20). Needles were inserted to a depth of between 15 and 25
millimeters, depending on the region of the body being treated. Needles
were manipulated for 10 minutes to achieve de qi, then left in place for another 25 minutes before being removed.
Semen samples were collected from each of the men after a 3-day period
of sexual abstinence. Two samples were collected from each patient: one
obtained the day before treatment began, the other after the last
acupuncture treatment. Samples from the treatment group were then
randomized with semen samples from 12 untreated control patients and
analyzed. Compared to the control group, motility levels
increased significantly in semen samples in the men receiving
acupuncture. While median motility levels increased from 32% to 37% in
the control group, they increased from 44.5% to 50% in the acupuncture
group. The number and percentage of healthy sperm also
increased dramatically in the acupuncture patients. At baseline, only
0.06% the sperm among men in the acupuncture group was considered
"healthy," while the median number of healthy sperm calculated in
ejaculate was 0.04 x 10 6 (40,000). After 10 sessions of treatments, the
median percentage of healthy sperm had increased more than four-fold,
to 0.26%, while the median number of healthy sperm per sample had
reached 0.2 x 10 6 (200,000). In addition, significant
changes in sperm structure and quality were seen in the samples from the
acupuncture group. Before treatment, only 22.5% of the sperm samples in
the acupuncture patients contained normal-shaped acrosomes, a cap-like
structure that develops over the anterior portion of a sperm cell's
nucleus. After treatment, the median percentage of normal acrosome
shapes showed a "statistically significant improvement" to 38.5%.
Similarly, the percentage of sperm with a normal axoneme pattern
increased significantly among men receiving acupuncture. (The axoneme is
a microscopic structure that contains a series of tubules arranged in a
distinct pattern, and is believed to aid in sperm motility.) Prior to
the start of the study, the correct axoneme pattern was present in 52%
of sperm in the control group, but only 46.1% in the acupuncture group.
After 5 weeks of therapy, the median percentage increased to 52.2% in
acupuncture patients, but actually decreased to 38.2% in the control
group. While acupuncture appeared able to improve the
overall quality and structural integrity of sperm, it was ineffective
against some common sperm pathologies. Apoptosis levels (programmed cell
death) in sperm samples were reduced slightly, but not to a
statistically significant degree. Median percentages of necrosis
(unprogrammed cell death) and sperm immaturity also decreased slightly
in the acupuncture group, but not to a level considered statistically
significant. The authors concluded that despite the
inability of acupuncture to significantly reduce some sperm
abnormalities, the treatment could be used to improve overall sperm
quality, leading to the possibility of increased fertility.
"In conjunction with ART or even for reaching natural fertility
potential, acupuncture treatment is a simple, noninvasive method that
can improve sperm quality," the authors concluded. "Further research is
needed to demonstrate what stages and times in spermatogenesis are
affected by acupuncture, and how acupuncture causes the physiologic
changes in spermatogenesis." References
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