Semen analysis: All about male fertility tests

According to the World Health Organisation, a man on an average ejaculates 3.7ml of semen. Men produce the highest amounts of semen until their late 30s, which tends to decrease after this with age. But age isn't the only factor. Semen volume can be determined by other factors like diet, smoking, heredity and overall health. Even if you're releasing a little less than the average amount, it's not a cause of concern. However, if you observe that you're producing less than 1.5ml of semen frequently, then you might need to go for an evaluation of your semen volume.

A good amount of seminal fluid is important to help carry the sperm to the female reproductive tract and help in fertilisation. A low semen volume doesn't matter too much if you're not trying to conceive but it often saps the man’s confidence in the bedroom. However smaller semen volumes can impact fertility with inadequate sperm count to meet and fertilise the egg.

Semen volume also tends to make orgasms less pleasurable for men as they miss the explosive ejaculation during climax. A few men are affected both emotionally and aesthetically with it and may affect the relationship with their partner. The level of orgasmic pleasure drops with low semen volume. This is because it's the same muscle that's responsible to give a man an orgasm by contracting and shooting loads of semen into a woman’s reproductive system for reproduction.

Both weak ejaculation and low semen volume in men can be an obstacle in making a woman pregnant. Where occasional low semen production may be normal, persistently low volume needs to be treated by identifying the cause behind it. Here are the common causes of low semen volume:

• Age is the biggest contributor. A noticeable difference is observed in semen volume after the age of 35 years. Recent studies indicate a drop of about 38% in the volume between the age of 35-60 years.
• Blockages in a seminal vesicle or ejaculatory duct, sometimes due to a varicocele
• Frequent sex or masturbation can also lower the semen volume. For instance, if you have sex 3-4 times or more a day, you will observe a difference in the amount you ejaculate each time.
• Retrograde ejaculation, a condition in which part or all of the semen flows backwards into the bladder
• Hypogonadism or low testosterone levels can also cause a decrease in the ejaculation volume
• Infections
• Diabetes also can be an indirect cause of low semen volume as the fluctuation in sugar levels can affect blood circulation and damage the nerves. Diabetes also leads to retrograde ejaculation in some cases.
• Hormonal abnormalities
• Abdominal surgery, enlarged prostate and certain medicines can also result in low semen volume

The quality and quantity of semen also plays a vital role in finding male fertility. We can say that the first thing diagnosed for male infertility is usually semen followed with other tests to correctly diagnose the cause. The semen analysis is a simple test carried out either at home or at the lab with semen sample. It helps to determine whether the sperm count is normal or not and involves measuring sperm count, motility and shape.

Factors Examined In Seminal Fluid Tests

Concentration: Quantity of sperm per ml.

A healthy sperm count is considered to be around 20 million per millilitre of semen. A low sperm count is anything less than this amount and is called oligospermia. This condition can arise due to several factors such as stress, hormones, nutritional deficiencies and other unhealthy habits like smoking and so on. You can try to increase semen volume to increase the sperm count.

Motility: Percentile of moving sperm

Healthy sperm motility is defined as sperm with forward progressions of at least 25 micrometres per second. If a man has poor sperm mobility, it’s called asthenospermia or asthenozoospermia. At least 60% of the mobile sperm should be motile for normal fertility, but that doesn't mean that men who have a motile sperm count of less than 40% are unable to cause a pregnancy. Some lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting mobile phone exposure, reducing alcohol intake and smoking can increase sperm motility.

Morphology: Sperm shape

An abnormal shape or size of sperm is another male infertility issue. Sperm that's oddly shaped can hinder motility and this can cause fertility issues. Common sperm abnormalities include a defected head. A normal semen analysis should display more than 6% normal sperm shape.

As you now know that low semen volume reduces the chances of sperms reaching the egg. This can cause the man to be infertile. Some men may also have a zero ability to produce semen, a condition that's referred as anejaculation. But for the rest, all-natural supplements have emerged as a new ray of hope to help improve the semen volume with their herbal ingredients. Many men also take Vimax Volume pills to serve the same purpose. Besides this, a balanced diet is also essential for men who want to increase semen count with a lot of water to keep them hydrated. Essentially, eating a healthy diet that's low in fat, reducing your alcohol intake, smoking or adding semen supplements to your diet is the best way to deal with weak ejaculation and low semen volume. Here’s how you can increase your semen volume naturally at home.

Many men correlate their semen volume with their performance in bed and treat it as a mark of their masculinity and virility. Any change in it affects them emotionally and has a negative impact on their personal life. However, it's not something you should suffer from silently. Semen volume tests can be done at home or by submitting a sample at the lab. Depending on the cause or reason, it's possible to cope with this problem with a few changes in lifestyle and natural products. You can also find a host of natural products in the market that can help improve semen volume. Formulated with the rarest of natural ingredients known for their virility enhancing properties, these products are mostly safe and discreet for use.