Does Excessive Exercise Lower Sperm Values?

There can be many different factors affecting sperm values; advancing age, undescended testis (cryptorchidism) not treated in time, varicocele disease, disorders affecting hormone release, smoking, excess weight, and many other variables affecting health status can result in a decrease in sperm values.

But does doing more sports than necessary lower sperm values? Or does sport cause infertility? Could sport, shown as indispensable for a healthy life until today, be affecting sexual health?

In this article, I will convey the answers to the question "Does sport cause infertility?" and important information on how excessive heavy training affects sperm values.

Does Sport Cause Infertility?

Doing regular sports cannot be associated with infertility; on the contrary, when we think of the most practical way to stay fit and get rid of stress, a life full of sports comes to mind first. Doing regular sports brings many benefits to both general health and reproductive system health.

The important thing at this point is to be able to adjust the dose of the sport correctly; the answer to this question may change when long-lasting heavy sports training is in question. It is known that sperm counts decrease by around 50% in men due to heavy and intense exercises.

The Body Acts on the Survival Principle

It is known that the regularity of menstrual periods in female athletes is disrupted during very intense training periods (amenorrhea), and the probability of conceiving decreases during these periods due to the physical and psychological stress they are exposed to. Because the body focuses on survival during periods when it is suppressed more than usual, and tries to use all its energy in the most efficient way by temporarily stopping functions that deplete its energy (like reproduction).

Of course, it is not correct to make a definite deduction about how excessive exercises, which temporarily reduce women's fertility, affect or can affect men. However, a comprehensive study was conducted on the potential risks awaiting men who do heavy training, and the results obtained were quite striking.

Does Heavy Sport Affect Sperm?

In a study conducted on 286 men between the ages of 20 and 40 with normal sperm values, they were asked to do high-intensity training for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week for 1 year. The main purpose was to reveal how the male metabolism would react after the exercises performed. Since the hormone levels and sperm qualities of the men participating in the research were measured before and after the process, the change was shown clearly.

At the end of 1 year, it was observed that the men's sperm counts decreased by almost 50% and their testosterone (male hormone) levels decreased by approximately 40%. With this research, it was clearly understood that exposure to excessive physical stress and doing heavy training can affect sperm values.

Balance for Health

It is undeniable how beneficial doing sports is for health, but the fact that how much sport is done can have a significant effect on infertility in men should not be ignored. Everyone's exercise tolerance may not be the same; some may not experience any decrease in sperm values no matter how intensely they train.

Since there are many factors affecting sperm values, the question "How can I find out if I am infertile?" continues to occupy the minds of many men.

How Can I Find Out If I Am Infertile?

To find out if they are infertile, men must first consult urology and andrology specialists. Physical examination and sperm analysis (spermiogram) test results convey important information about sperm quality and sperm values in the most general sense. However, the fact that couples who cannot have a baby should always be evaluated simultaneously should not be forgotten.

Conclusion

As a result, the study we exemplified revealed the fact that heavy training constitutes a potential risk factor on men's sperm counts. Although it is not possible to make a generalization that the same problem will be observed in all men who do heavy training, we can state that regular intense exercises are among the factors that lower sperm values.