Mens Infertility
Many men who want to be fathers but find that they are infertile have told me that they feel a deep sadness at not being able to father children. Fertility and virility are often thought of as being synonymous, and few men want to have their virility questioned. Maybe this is why I hear many men automatically assume that their wives are responsible for the couple's infertility problems. In fact, in about half the cases of infertility, the root of the problem lies with the man. Over the last few decades, medical experts have seen a dramatic drop in men's sperm counts. Some scientists worry about the possibility of even greater fertility declines in future generations. One chilling theory posed by some European researchers is that the rising rates of infertility result from overexposure to estrogen that starts even before the child is born. It is true that high levels of estrogen-like substances, which lower the male hormone testosterone, are found in birth control pills, pesticides and many meat and dairy products—a good argument for eating organically grown foods! Water sources are also polluted by estrogen-type detergents; biologists have even found male fish in such water behaving like females because of a dramatic shift in the balance of their hormones.
A sufficient quantity of testosterone is necessary to manufacture healthy sperm in sufficient quantities to make a man fertile. Herbs do not offer a surefire cure for infertility, but they do work some of the time. They are most successful when the infertility is a result of out-of-whack hormones or weak sperm, rather then when infertility is due to structural problems such as a blocked sperm duct.
So far, ginseng is the only herb recognized by science to stimulate testosterone production. The Chinese tell folk tales about men in their nineties fathering children after taking ginseng. As far as we know, these are only stories, but if any herb can maintain a man's fertility, ginseng seems the most likely candidate. In fact, its powers in this regard caught a couple of men I know by surprise. Both of these fellows started taking ginseng, along with other herbs such as shizandra and saw palmetto, to build up their physical stamina. After many years to the contrary, they were extremely surprised when their wives announced that they were pregnant!
It is probable that other herbs also stimulate testosterone production. Researchers are just beginning to investigate the Chinese herb fo-ti as a treatment for infertility. Other possibilities include two relative newcomers to the North American market: the African herb pygeum and the Indian herb ashwaganda. Pygeum is a tall evergreen tree, also called African bitter almond, whose bark has been used by the Zulus and other African tribes and now also by European doctors. The root of ashwaganda is an ancient Indian sexual tonic for the treatment of infertility. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine view this herb in much the same way the Chinese view ginseng; according to Ayurvedic medicine, ashwaganda also "strengthens" sperm.
When a man suspects infertility, one of first things a physician checks is whether there is a sufficient amount of sperm to do the job. Although it takes only one sperm to fertilize an egg, it takes many to accomplish the task—fertility experts call this a "team effort." The Chinese have used fo-ti for centuries to increase the sperm count. A 1989 study showed that the common kitchen herb ginger stimulated hormone production and increased the sperm count in animals. Although no studies have been done on humans as yet, researchers believe that this herb has the same effect on men. In fact, you get a medicinal dose every time you flavor food with ginger.
And while you are at it, try adding pumpkin seeds to your meals. Endocrinologist Ali A. Abbasi, M.D., formerly of the Allen Park Veterans Administration Hospital in Maryland, found that zinc deficiency causes the sperm count to plunge, but adding zinc to the diet increases the count. Pumpkin seeds, a popular folk remedy for infertility, are especially rich in zinc. They are easy to take; buy them already shelled and eat them by the handful, or grind them and add them to your morning cereal.
Aromatherapists also report improvements in fertility for men who use rose essential oil—an expensive but wonderfully fragrant treatment. It has been speculated that rose essential oil, which has an age-old reputation as an aphrodisiac for both men and women, increases the sperm count. Emotional or physical stress can easily make conception more difficult, but this fragrance also relaxes the body and mind. If you think that stress may be a contributing factor to your infertility, try using the rose essential oil along with some of the sedative herbs suggested in "Stress" in chapter 20. and the relaxing aromas discussed in chapter sixteen.
The testes and seminal vesicles also need to be in top health to produce and house sperm. One herb that protects them from damage is pygeum, which is discussed above. as a testosterone stimulator.
It is also a good idea for men who want to reverse their infertility to take plenty of red raspberry leaves. Usually considered a woman's reproductive tonic, raspberry seems to be equally helpful for men. Ask animal breeders; they will tell you that raspberry leaves are added to feed to increase male fertility.
Experience with animals also provides another hint for treating human male fertility: oats, which are fed to racehorses to keep them healthy and fertile. As oats are best when harvested during their fresh, milky stage, your best bet is to use a tincture. You may also derive some benefit by eating oatmeal. (It seems that the old saw about men sowing their wild oats has some basis in fact.)
Some plants encourage estrogen production and thus discourage male fertility. According to Robert C. Kolodny, M.D., reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1974, regular use of marijuana lowers testosterone levels and also decreases sperm production. Sage is also suspect; while I know of no problem with moderate consumption, if you are trying to conceive, avoid seasoning your food with lots of sage. In the fourth century b.c., the Greek healer Theophrastus called garden sage an "excellent article for excessive desire"—to limit it, that is.
And just in case you have unusual dietary tastes, go easy on the date pits; Arab women used to place ground pits in their men's food before they departed on camel caravans to help keep them faithful! However, do not worry about the dates themselves; estrogen-like compounds are found only in the pits.
Finally, tobacco and coffee consumption also seem to cause fertility problems, probably because they impair circulation. If impotence is a cause of infertility, see "Impotence" in chapter 75.
Fertility Formula
1 ounce tincture of panax ginseng root
½ ounce each tinctures of fresh oats, ashwaganda leaves (if available) and raspberry leaves
Combine ingredients. Take 1 dropperful twice a day.
Aromatherapy Fertility Oil
5 drops rose essential oil
1 ounce vegetable oil
Combine ingredients. Massage into the lower abdomen and inner thigh once a day. Be sure to use only pure rose essential oil, preferably Bulgarian or Turkish rose attar.
