"We need ... validation and acceptance that we receive only from our gendermates. There is much about our experience as men that can only be shared with, and understood by, other men. There are stories we can tell only to those who have wrestled in the dark with the same demons, and been wounded by the same angels. Only men understand the secret fears that go with the territory of masculinity."? Sam Keen, Fire in the Belly
PHYSICAL FERTILITY ISSUES:
In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 15-20 percent of the population have difficulty conceiving. In these couples, male and female factors are equally accountable for the problem, and one in four couples has multiple factors contributing to their failure to conceive. Whether or not sperm factors impact the physical challenges, emotional issues between the couple most definitely impact the ability to heal and overcome fertility difficulties.
Sperm health depends on having adequate underlying vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants. We recommend men take the following:
Vitamins C, E, B12, beta carotene, zinc, selenium and CoEnzyme Q10 L-Carnitine and L-Arginine OPC, or Pycnogenol
High quality essential fatty acids like deep sea fish oil or flaxseed oil.
Sperm do not thrive when heat or pressure are applied to the scrotum, which is why excessive cycling or hot tub usage is not recommended. They also do not fare well when cell phones are worn around the waist, when laptops are used over the lap. Avoid environmental toxins, Rogaine, nicotine, marijuana, and overindulgence in caffeine or alcohol.
Even if the fertility issue is due to sperm problems, the woman is often the one who goes through interventional procedures, while the man feels more and more helpless.
A note about clinical Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (used with many In-Vitro Fertilization procedures): After the woman has gone through hormonal injections and follicle extraction, the eggs are wait expectedly in the Petri dish to be fertilized. Meanwhile, the embryologist is looks under the microscope at the sperm sample. When a good one is selected, it is whacked on the tail to paralyze it. Before it recovers, the sperm is sucked into the needle and injected into the egg. Without any real involvement of the man, fatherhood may have happened.