Male Fertility Tests

A male fertility test can help you to better understand how likely you are to be able to have children. There are different types of fertility tests for men, which test for different factors that can affect your fertility. These include sperm tests, hormone tests, and genetic tests.

At Superdrug Online Doctor, we can provide at-home sperm tests that can provide an overview of your sperm health, which is a good indicator of whether or not you can have children. 

Sperm tests work by allowing you to collect a sample of your sperm which you send to a laboratory for analysis to find out how healthy your sperm is. The healthier your sperm is, the more likely you are to be able to conceive. A sperm test kit will tell you:

• the volume of semen
• the motility of your sperm (how efficiently and quickly your sperm move)
• the quantity of sperm (the total number of spermatozoa and their concentration)
• the quality of your sperm (how they look and if they have any abnormalities that may affect fertility)

If your test detects an abnormality, our doctors will let you know what to do next. They can also advise you on how to improve your sperm health to give you a better chance of conceiving.

You can take a male fertility test whenever you want to find out more about how fertile you are. You may be planning on starting a family, or you might just be curious to know for the future. Either way, you can take a male fertility test when it’s right for you, and we’ll be here to support you when you get your results.

There are plenty of different things you can do to produce healthier sperm, ranging from taking supplements to making lifestyle changes. Even if you’re not planning on having children soon, it’s important to make sure your sperm are healthy, so if you decide to in the future, you have a better chance of conceiving.

Here are a few things to do to get healthier sperm that you can start on right away:

Take regular exercise

As well as being great for your general health, regular exercise also boosts testosterone levels and improves your fertility. Studies have shown that men who exercise more regularly have high sperm counts and better semen quality than those who don’t, so you will improve your fertility levels by getting more exercise.

However, exercising too much can have the opposite effect and actually reduce your sperm quality, so it’s important to find a healthy balance.

Get the right nutrition

Eating a healthy and balanced diet not only improves your general health but can also improve your fertility. Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Zinc are all also important in making sure you have healthy sperm, so make sure you include foods rich in these. There is also research that has shown that people with a higher BMI have lower quality and quantities of sperm, so by eating a healthier diet and losing weight, you will also improve your fertility levels.

Reduce your stress levels

Being stressed isn’t good for you, and it definitely isn’t good for your sperm. High stress levels can interfere with the hormones you need that produce high quality sperm. Try to take plenty of time to relax, it could help improve your chances of conceiving.

Avoid STIs

Sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea and chlamydia can lead to infertility if left untreated, so it’s important to practice safe sex and test regularly if you’re trying to improve your fertility levels.

Quit smoking

Men who smoke have lower sperm counts. By quitting smoking, you can quickly improve the quality and amount of sperm you produce. If you need a hand quitting, we can help.

Drink less alcohol

Regular heavy drinking reduces how much testosterone your body produces and lowers your sperm production and sperm quality. By limiting your alcohol consumption, you can improve the health and quality of your sperm.

The leading causes of male fertility are:

Low quality sperm

If you have a low sperm count, sperm with reduced motility, or sperm abnormalities, this can lead to male infertility. Essentially, your sperm needs to be healthy enough to move properly, it needs to be able to reach an egg, and there needs to be enough of it. Each of these factors can contribute to infertility if your sperm is low quality.

Problems with your testicles

Infection, injuries and medical conditions can all cause male infertility.

Side effects of medications and drugs

Certain medications and drugs have side effects that can affect your sperm health and fertility levels. These can include:

• testosterone replacement therapy
• long-term anabolic steroid use
• cancer medications (chemotherapy)
• certain ulcer treatments 
• arthritis medication 

If you are trying to conceive and you are concerned about a medication you are taking affecting your fertility levels, you should discuss this with your doctor.

Ejaculation problems

If you are struggling to ejaculate or have problems with ejaculation, this can affect your fertility as you are less likely for your sperm to reach an egg for fertilisation. Retrograde ejaculation can cause infertility as this is when your semen enters your bladder instead of coming out of your penis. Health conditions that can cause this include diabetes, spinal injuries, and prostate, bladder and urethra surgery.

Erectile dysfunction

If you have ED and you are unable to get an erection that's hard enough to have sex, you are less likely to be able to conceive as you are not able to have penetrative sex. Because of this, ED isn't a direct cause of infertility, but it does make it a lot more challenging to conceive.

Medical conditions

Varicocele

This is the most common but reversible cause of male infertility. It is a condition that causes swelling in the veins that drain your testicles. It's not known why this condition causes infertility, but it's thought to be related to abnormal blood flow. The condition can also lower your sperm count and quality.

Infections

Certain infections affect sperm health and production. These can also lead to scarring that can cause blockages for sperm. While some infections can cause permanent damage to your testicles, it's usually still possible to remove and store most of your sperm for future use.

Antibodies

Immune system cells can mistakenly identify sperm as something harmful to the body and produce antibodies to attack them.

Tumours

Tumours can affect your reproductive organs as they affect how your body releases hormones. Often cancer treatments can also affect male fertility.

Undescended testicles

This is a condition you can develop before birth, where your testicles don't drop below your abdomen. People with this condition are usually less fertile. 

Hormone imbalances

Hormonal problems can have many underlying causes, and it's often hard to identify them. If you do have a hormonal imbalance, it can lead to reduced fertility as certain hormones are needed for better sperm health and quality, amongst other things that are necessary to conceive.

Tube defects

Sperm are carried by many different tubes to get where they need to - if these tubes are damaged from an infection, surgery or any other condition, your sperm are less likely to be able to reach an egg to conceive.

Blockages

Any blockage within your testicles is likely to make it more difficult for your sperm to get where it needs to be. If your sperm can't travel, it can't reach an egg to conceive.

Genetic defects

Certain genetic conditions like Klinefelter's Syndrome can cause male reproductive organs to develop abnormally, causing infertility. Cystic fibrosis and Kallmann's syndrome can also cause similar problems.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is caused by a sensitivity to a protein called Gluten, and the condition has been linked to male infertility.

Surgeries

Certain surgeries can prevent you from having sperm in your ejaculate. These include but are not limited to: 

• vasectomy 
• scrotal or testicular surgeries
• prostate surgeries
• large abdominal surgeries (for testicular and rectal cancers)

Lifestyle causes

Drug use

Drugs like anabolic steroids may cause your testicles to shrink and reduce sperm production. Drugs like cocaine and marijuana can also cause a temporary reduction in your sperm count and quality.

Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol can lower testosterone levels, leading to less sperm production and erectile dysfunction. Liver disease, often caused by drinking too much alcohol, can also lead to fertility issues.

Smoking

People who smoke have a lower sperm count. Second-hand smoke can also reduce your sperm count.

Being overweight

Obesity can affect your hormones causing changes that make you less fertile. It can also reduce the quality of your sperm.

It's important to remember that there isn't always a clear-cut reason or cause for infertility, and different people's fertility levels can be affected more by some things than others. The NHS reports that around 1 in 4 causes of infertility do not have an obvious cause, meaning they couldn't find one in either partner. 

If you are infertile, there are still things you can do to conceive or improve your chances of conceiving. These include:

Having sex regularly at the time when your partner is most fertile

• People are more fertile at different points in their menstrual cycle. By having sex during these moments, you can be sure you’re giving yourself the best chance to conceive.

IVF  

• This is when an egg is fertilised in a laboratory before being returned to a woman’s uterus to grow and develop.

ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection)

• This is when sperm is injected into an egg to fertilise it.

Donor insemination (DI)

• This is when a donor’s sperm is used in place of your own if you have fertility issues.

Medication

• For women, there are medications available, like gonadotropins which increase testosterone levels, improving your fertility levels.

Surgery

• There are surgical procedures that can help with fertility available for both men and women. You may need this if you have a blockage or want to remove sperm for use in the future in case you’re worried about becoming less fertile or want to conceive at an older age.

Lifestyle changes

• You can improve the quality of your sperm and your chances of conceiving by making sure you maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, reduce alcohol and stress, and stick to a healthy diet.

Your doctor and fertility specialist are on hand to support you with finding the right approach to improving your fertility levels or helping you conceive if you are infertile. What works for you may not work for someone else, so it’s important to find the best strategy for your body.

When it comes to fertility testing, you want to be sure you’re getting accurate results and clear, supportive advice. With Superdrug Online Doctor, you will receive a detailed report on your fertility and sperm health and get free advice from our doctors on what to do next. You can also message your doctor at any point, without booking an appointment, through your patient account if you need more support or information.

Benefits of the Superdrug Online Doctor male fertility testing service:

• You will receive a full report that analyses 22 different parameters of your sperm health and fertility. This is to give both yourself and your doctor a clear understanding of your test results and how they affect your fertility. 
• The results our test produces are in line with World Health Organisation standards. This may not be the case if you’re using a different high street or smartphone test.
• Unlimited access to our doctors. When you test with us, our doctors will be on hand throughout the process to answer any queries you have regarding your results or what to do next, and it’s all free through your patient account. There’s no booking appointments or waiting rooms.