Causes of Infertility: Other Medical Conditions

Among all causes of infertility, 10% are not known. However, among the most common causes in men are certain medical conditions that may affect the production of the sexual hormones or cause erectile dysfunction. In addition to the typical causes of infertility in men: failure of the testicle to produce sperm, duct obstruction, abnormal semen, antibody production that attacks sperm or retrograde ejaculation, there are numerous medical conditions that may cause infertility. There are over 200 conditions that may cause infertility, and the ones listed bellow are the most common.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the body is no longer able to metabolize all the glucose in the blood. This may be due to a lack of insulin or the consumption of too many foods that break down to glucose.

Diabetes in men will lead to fertility problems and a deficiency of testosterone, which may lead to a low sperm count. In addition, the high concentration of glucose in the blood will reduce the blood circulation, so the patient may experience erectile dysfunction due to a low blood flow to the reproductive system.

Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease may be of several types and it is caused by an abnormal function of the thyroid glands that will produce either excessive amounts of hormones, or there will be a deficit of thyroid hormones in the body.

Both these conditions may affect fertility in men, as the sexual hormone levels will also drop. This may lead to a low sperm count, reduced sperm motility and erectile dysfunction.

The levels of thyroid hormones may be controlled through medication or surgery, and once the thyroid hormones are at a normal level, fertility will be restored.

Cushing's Syndrome

The Cushing's syndrome is a disease of the adrenal glands, which produce an increased amount of cortisol, which is a hormone. Male patients may experience muscle weakness, weight gain, hypertension and infertility.

Cushing's syndrome may be controlled with steroid medication and the patient can become fertile again.

Anemia

Anemia may be caused by a poor nutrition and a lack of iron in the organism. This may cause low blood pressure and poor blood circulation, which may cause erectile dysfunction. In addition, anemia causes fatigue and this may interfere with the libido.

In males, the normal levels of iron should be 4gm. The daily diet should contain at least 15 mg of iron. Foods that contain iron include meats and green vegetables. Iron supplements may be administered to men that have an iron deficiency.

Varicocele

Varicocele is a condition that causes the formation of varicose veins on the testicles. This can cause erectile dysfunction. The condition may not require treatment, as the varicose veins can go away if left alone. In other cases, surgery may be needed to eliminate the veins.

Stress

Stress may cause infertility, as it disrupts the normal production of testosterone in men, leading to an abnormal sperm count. Stress may also be a contributing factor to erectile dysfunction.

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