Is Covid-19 a Risk for Male Fertility?

The rapid spreading and behavior-changing abilities of coronavirus have risked a lot of lives all around the world. Every person is worried and concerned about the effect of various organs on the human body.

Initially, it was supposed that the coronavirus only affects the respiratory organs but now it is evident that it is also damaging various organs. Coronavirus may crash the functionality of the testicles to produce sperms or male reproduction hormones. As it is already known that the fertility of males depends on sperm count, mortality, and volume in the semen. It is still a matter of research whether the effects of covid-19 on fertility are temporary or permanent and to what extent it can harm the sperm quality. Various factors such as the immunity of the person, weight, diet, lifestyle, and existing health condition also influence sperm quality.

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There are the following reasons that make male fertility susceptible to the coronavirus.

Attack of Virus on the Male Genital

Coronavirus contains the ACE-2 on its surface that works as a receptor to infect the body cells. Sertoli and Leydig cells in the testicular architecture are important for sexual health and sperm production. But these cells also work as anchor of germ cells and are vulnerable to the ACE-2 the receptor of Coronavirus that eventually harm these cells and affect fertility.

The Proactiveness of the Immune System

The action of the immune system against the invasion of any external agent in the human body is known as inflammation. The results of inflammation are irritation, redness, fever or temperature, pain, swelling, pain, and dysfunction of the organs. Sometimes, the response of the immune system is proactive or hyper inflammation that can affect the function of the heart. Due to coronavirus, the inflammation can reduce the blood supply to the penis and cause erectile dysfunction. However, in any other viral, these effects are temporary, as soon as a person becomes healthy, these effects nullify. There is no evidence of long-lasting effects on male reproductive capacity due to coronavirus.

Anxiety due to Covid-19

There is a great impact of stress or anxiety on the function of sexual organs. The symptoms of coronavirus can stay up to 2-3 months. This long duration of illness and isolation can affect your mental state. The worse effect of such stress is depression and lower superoxide dismutase activity. It may harm the function of testicles in men and influence the production of sex hormones.

Dr Vishal Dutt Gour (urologist in Delhi) suggests some ways to tackle the negative effects of coronavirus on infertility.

• Exercise: Physical activities can increase the testosterone level in males. It improves the semen quality and sexual organs functionality.
• Stress Management: Stress for a prolonged time can affect the sexual activity of a person. Yoga, meditation, art, or music can help to reduce stress.
• Healthy Diet: Eliminating harmful edibles, consumption of alcohol, fizz drinks, and sugar is beneficial for health. Including vitamin C and anti-oxidants in your diet is helpful for sperm health.