Male infertility is commonly defined as a man’s inability to cause pregnancy in a female partner after actively trying for at least a year. Male infertility affects as much as 7% of the male population and accounts for 40-50% of couples’ infertility overall. Of those men dealing with infertility, nearly 50% have low sperm counts as the primary cause and factor.
Common causes of male infertility can be related to certain deficiencies within other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, liver, and lungs. Overexposure to certain chemicals or environmental factors such as pesticides, medication, or heat exposure can also cause fertility problems as well as lifestyle choices such as diet, tobacco and alcohol usage, and how active a patient may be in their daily life.
Though the causes for male infertility can be as varied as the treatment options, we recommend acupuncture in combination with herbal treatments to treat and combat male infertility. Research shows that acupuncture helps to open and clear blood vessels within the pelvic area to promote healthy blood flow and improve the quality and quantity of the patient’s sperm. In addition to acupuncture treatments, we recommend our herbal formulas as well to support healthy testicular function.
Below are the five fruits or herbs we recommend using to help decrease structural abnormalities within sperm and improve sperm quality and production.
Che Qian Zi (The Plantain Seed)
Plantain seeds come from either the Asiatic plantain or the depressed plantain of eastern Asia. The seeds of the plantain contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A and B, iron, adenine, and more. It is commonly used to treat problems associated with kidney, liver, and lung meridians and helps to flush out phlegm, which can contribute to male infertility.
Fu Pen Zi (The Chinese Raspberry)
The Chinese Raspberry is a subspecies of the goldenleaf raspberries native to China and known for their sweet and warm properties. They are commonly used in herbal treatments to treat problems within the liver and kidney meridians and help to tone and stabilize energy within the body and address urogenital issues such as retrograde ejaculation, which can be a condition or cause of male infertility.
Wu Wei Zi (The Schisandra Berry)
The Schisandra berry is also known as the five-flavor berry as it contains all flavors (sour, sweet, bitter, salty, and acidic), which lend its ability to affect the body in numerous ways. It can treat various areas of the body. Still, in terms of male infertility, it used to restore and boost function within the lung and kidney meridians and promote proper energy circulation.
Tu Si Zi (The Dodder Seed/Cuscuta)
The Cuscuta has been used for thousands of years as a form of herbal treatment and is common in formulas treating issues within the kidney and liver meridians. It can help to balance yin and yang deficiencies depending on the need and condition of the patient. The Cuscuta is used to treat impotence, premature ejaculations, and frequent urination.
Gou Qi Zi (The Lycium Fruit/Goji Berry)
The Lycium fruit, also known as the Goji berry or the Wolfberry, is known for its sweet taste and neutral properties and commonly used to nourish the liver and moisten the lungs, which can affect fertility. Another common usage of the Goji berry is as a tonic to improve the function of the kidneys and blood flow, which can also aid in treating male infertility.
For more information on male infertility and how we can help you, contact Integrated Oriental Medicine today.
