Sperm DNA Fragmentation

Sperm DNA Fragmentation: An East Meets West Approach to Care

 

An American,and Chinese Medical Approach to The effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on infertility

Approximately 50% of infertility cases involve male factors.

Currently, evaluation and diagnosis of male infertility mainly believe traditional semen analysis, including the quantity , concentration, vitality and morphology of the semen. However, approximately 15% of men with a traditional semen analysis are diagnosed as infertile. this means that semen analysis alone can only provide limited information for the assessment of male fertility, and it doesn't fully reflect the fertilization potential of the sperm.

Sperm DNA fragmentation is a sign , from a standard Chinese medicine perspective as 'kidney essence vacuity'. The expression of 'essence' in males is sperm.

Some of the items which may negatively impact the kidneys is 'fear and fright'. Fear and fright could also be construed partially as stress, anxiety, and depression. This, obviously, isn't suggestive that each man with sperm DNA fragmentation experiences any or all of those psychological issues, but I'd be hard pressed to seek out any person who doesn't possess a minimum of one among thee things. Of course, one would then say... "if that is the case, then won't all men present with sperm DNA fragmentation? " the solution I suppose, is that different men have a). different levels of those factors and b). different men react differently to those factors.

Some signs of kidney 'essence' vacuity may include chronic low pain back (not caused by injury), bone issues, memory issues, fear, fright, low libido, frequent urination, feeling frequently hot or warm (even during the colder months), poor memory, insecurity, lack of esteem and more.

Physical assault which may damage the testes and sperm don't have anything to try to to with 'essence' vacuity -but yet, can cause it. For example: if a person underwent a vasectomy and a vasectomy reversal and have become vulnerable to anti-sperm-antibodies which greatly impacted the standard of the sperm, the person will become worried, depressed, anxious, causing kidney 'essence' vacuity. So, you'll see that physical issues can contribute to psychological issues and, of course, the other is true.

In the absence of physical findings, (CBAVD), acupuncture are often wont to 'calm the spirit' and to reinforce and nourish kidney 'essence'. Of course, to the novice, this might all sound like nonsense, but to those men who have had their DNA fragmentation index reduced to fifteen from 40% 'sense', not nonsense are going to be their conclusion.

With the event of assisted reproductive technology (ART), traditional semen analysis has did not meet the requirements of reproductive clinical practice. we'd like better clinical indicators to work out the explanation for male infertility and its relationships with reproductive outcomes.

I have always felt that the 'traditional' semen analysis was inadequate. There are so few doctors that routinely perform a sperm DNA fragmentation assay on their male patients' that the amount of tests done, statistically speaking, is meaningless. it's my contention that this test should be part and parcel of the 'normal' semen analysis. Alas, it is not. this is often one among the causes of 'idiopathic' infertility. You see, it's really not "idiopatic" quite a case of under-dignosis which I find is prevalent in most infertility evaluations both in men and ladies .

The sperm DNA fragmentation index reflects the integrity of, and therefore the damage to the DNA, the genetic material of the sperm, thereby detecting potential sperm damage. it's considered an important indicator in evaluating semen quality. And yet, is hardly tested.

Interestingly, consistent with traditional Chinese medicine, the genetics of humans springs from kidney 'essence' passed to the kid from the oldsters .

Sperm DNA fragmentation has important impacts on fertilization, embryonic development and paternal genetic information transmission during both spontaneous and ART pregnancies. It must be evaluated and treated with both modalities of drugs as should all pathologies with the exception of severe physical trauma where surgery is that the only correct method of intervention.

Sperm DNA damage is related to reduced pregnancy rates in IVF/ICSI.

SPERM DNA FRAGMENTATION occurs during spermatogenesis and maturation whereby broken DNA fragments are produced in sperm cells as a results of damaged chromosomes and impaired DNA integrity.

In traditional Chinese medicine, one among the 'energetic' functions of the liver is to facilitate the movement of energy throughout the body (and mind). If liver energy is 'stuck' it'll not facilitate the movement of energy. Energy is clearly necessary to facilitate hemodynamics. So, with the function of the liver during a compromised state, the blood won't circulate efficiently causing lack of blood flow to the testes causing myriad problems which may , once in a while , be the explanation for death of sperm (a large varicocele for instance ). So, traditional Chinese medicine involves stimulating the liver to maneuver energy and blood to the testes, and to nourish, stimulate and benefit the kidneys to assist create a healthy environment during which sperm can prosper.

Human sperm DNA carries the paternal genetic information (the paternal kidney 'essence'), and its integrity is required to properly transmit genetic materials to the offspring.

It must be noted that through the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine within the hands of a talented and experienced practitioner, DNA fragmentation can and sometimes is reduced. In fact, there's no accepted Western medical modality of intervention which has been shown to scale back SDF indexes.

Many reproductive endocrinologists will give this statement short shrift, but the dads-to-be, will not, and haven't , after, for example, I reduce their fragmentation levels from >30% to < 20% and facilitation of pregnancy manifests then too does a 'take-home-baby.

Eventually, practitioners of Western medicine whether reproductive or otherwise will come to find out that Western medicine isn't the sole medicine and positively not the sole efficacious medicine. Much of this disconnect and discordance between Western and Chinese medicine stems from the egos of doctors of Western medicine generally .

"We know, we've the studies, we've the experience, we are the experts." Didn't they assert that 100 years ago? Is Western medicine completely different today that it had been 100 years ago? and how . the purpose being that what's thought of as 'medical 'fact' today is usually deemed medical 'nonsense' several years later.

During the 1970's many medical doctors denied the worth of the cessation of cigarette smoking because they didn't believe the science. It took quite 10 years for the bulk of doctors who smoked to prevent smoking.

It seems that medicine isn't only supported data and science but on subjective opinion, which, essentially means medicine, in part, is ego-driven the maximum amount as science-driven. I'd have an interest to understand which is bigger .

When American and European doctors eventually combat the Chinese medical approach to worry , Westerners will, in fact, receive better treatment and better outcomes.

Look at the Chinese model in China. All hospitals in China have a Western medicine wing and a Chinese medicine wing. They work together. One takes the lead and therefore the other supports. this is often the meaning of "it takes a village".

This model is understandable from the sociologic underpinnings of a communist country... everything is equal and even and every one get an equivalent goods and concepts available. In other words, Chinese and Western medicine receive equal respect and utilization. i'm not promoting communism -it may be a failed system which will never work, but it's interesting to ascertain how, sociologically, this has affected their view on medical intervention.

Currently, the subsequent three major factors are known to cause sperm DNA damage: abnormal sperm chromatin assembly, aberrant death of sperm cells, and excessive oxidative stress. Why would reproductive endocrinologists be averse to having their patients take herbal medicine to strongly, and efficiently, reduce oxidative stress, improve kidney and liver function? Is it ego or ignorance or both?

Inflammation within the external genital tracts and varicocele also can increase the risks of sperm DNA fragmentation by inducing reactive oxygen species within the sperm. Why would reproductive endocrinologists be averse to having their patients take herbal medicine to strongly, and efficiently reduce inflammation? Is it ego or ignorance or both?

Poor lifestyle habits including smoking, alcohol consumption, environmental radiation and pollution can all cause increased sperm DNA fragmentation.

Very few doctors of Western medicine ever offer advice on life-style changes and if they are doing it's like this: "you got to lose weight". Practitioners' of traditional Chinese medicine are totally committed to advising their patients on necessary, beneficial, and crucial life-style changes which serve to facilitate conception and a full-term pregnancy.

Consistent with previous reports, sperm DNA fragmentation indexes rises significantly with age, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. a number of these include smoking cigarettes, and marijuana, alcohol consumption.

Many investigators believe that sperm DNA fragmentation features a negative impact on embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes following IVF/ICSI. this is often an irony . When men have a sperm DNA fragmentation index of >35%, NO pregnancies will ensue.

A high sperm DNA fragmentation index isn't only associated with reduced fertilization rate and poor embryo quality in IVF, but it's also related to decreased rates of pregnancy.

It was shown that sperm DNA fragmentation is significantly elevated within the male in couples with unexplained infertility.

There are numerous pathomechanisms causative of infertility that are rarely tested. For example: ureaplasma urylitica, endometrioses, sperm DNA fragmentation, the existence of uterine polyps, even, amazingly hysteronsalpingograms.

You can't imagine what percentage patients I've had that have done 3-4 failed IUI's with gynecologists who NEVER performed a HSG.

One might ask why this frequently occurs. It's probably for an equivalent reason that medicine, with the exception of critical care, is usually sub-par: not enough time for patients thanks to insurance capitation. Quick and incomplete consults, a rush to IVF, in and out. Fail? Repeat.

Acupuncturists' get to spend an hour or more with each patient. this is often not an honest thing, or a pleasant thing; this is often a necessary thing.

To have better medical aid , doctors got to see fewer patients a day .

Doctors and hospitals and clinics will fight this tooth and nail because it might reduce income and income . So, medicine is boldly suffering from money, and lack of your time with patients.

The rates of early abortion within the high, medium and low DNA fragmentation index groups were 27.3%, 14.6% and 4.9%, respectively, and these differences were statistically significant.

These numbers are often significantly ameliorated with the inclusion of acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Why is there not an acupuncturist and herbalist,and yoga teacher, and meditation specialist, and a psychotherapist in EVERY reproductive medicine center? If there have been , there would, undoubtedly, be more positive outcomes.