Role of acupuncture in male in improving male fertility
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a 3000 year old form of Traditional
Chinese medicine. Acupuncture works by restoring the energy flow in the
affected part of the body. It involves the use of pressure points which
are stimulated with the help of fine needles. Though the therapy is
prolonged and takes upto weeks, it is a natural and holistic form of
therapy which treats the complete body.
Acupuncture has been used as an alternative therapy for
the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. In 1997, the National
Institutes of Health (NIH, USA), released a consensus statement that
there is enough scientific evidence to prove that acupuncture is a
promising modality for the treatment of a wide range of medical
problems.
Acupuncture in male infertility:
Acupuncture has for a long time been used for treating infertility
in females. In the last five decades researchers have observed a
decline in male fertility due to various environmental trends. Though
the causative factors of
male infertility are many, a significant proportion of infertility
in males occurs due to unknown reasons (idiopathic). The treatment of
such cases poses the maximum difficulty. Researchers have explored into
alternative methods for such idiopathic cases of male fertility and
acupuncture is one such modality.
Studies conducted on the effect of acupuncture on male
fertility indicate that there is an improvement in the sperm quality
without hindering with sexual desire. Accupuncture helps in increasing
the sperm count and also reduces the number of sperms with structural
abnormality. A case control study published in the journal Fertility
and Sterility in 2005 has shown significant improvement in the quantity
and quality of sperms in men who had structural and quantitative
defects in their sperms. The authors of this study concluded that
acupuncture could be used along with invitro fertilization techniques
to improve pregnancy rates among couples facing problems of
infertility. In addition, acupuncture has also been used to treat
infertility due to conditions like Varicocoeles and erectile dysfunction in males.
How does acupuncture improve male fertility?
A study conducted by Dong C et al in 2006 has shown that
acupuncture significantly increases the secretion of the male
reproductive hormones. In addition, they reported an increase in the
activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and an increase in the levels of
zinc with a decrease in the cadmium content of the semen after
treatment with acupuncture. Superoxide dismutase
(SOD) is a potent antioxidant enzyme that scavenges the free oxygen and
hydrogen radicals which are toxic to the sperms. Zinc is a well known
element known to improve male fertility while cadmium serves as a toxic
heavy metal which reduces male fertility. Thus acupuncture acts by
significantly improving the endocrine function in males thereby
improving the quality of the semen and also increasing the pregnancy
rates among infertile couples.
The therapy is taken once or twice weekly for 4 to 6
months. Its benefits are often observed after the first 10 or 12
rounds. Each session may last for about an hour. The most crucial
aspect is to find a qualified and experienced acupuncturist.
References:
1) http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2005/oct/10infertility.html
2) http://www.healthylivingnyc.com/article/178
3) Pei J et al. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultra
structure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Fertility
and Sterility July 2005; 84(1):141-7.
4) Dong C et al. Clinical observation and study of mechanisms of
needle-picking therapy for primary infertility of abnormal sperm.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2006; 26(6):389-91
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