What Causes Sperm Loss?

By: Sangeet Khanna - Updated: 12 Oct 2025 | *Discuss

 

Sperm loss mainly refers to low sperm count. In medical terms it is known as Oligospermia. For the male, evaluation of infertility begins with a semen analysis. This test analyses various parameters of the semen: sperm count, sperm morphology, sperm motility, semen volume, which all play a crucial role in healthy sperm delivery.

Counting the sperm in the semen is one of the ways to diagnose the causes leading to infertility within a couple. One of the most important causes of male infertility is Oligospermia. Oligospermia is a condition when the sperm count present in the semen is below normal. The normal sperm count is 20million/millilitre to 40million/millilitre. But if the sperm count is less than 20million/millilitre then the condition is known as Oligospermia.

Apart from the number of sperm present, there are some other guidelines that should also be known before defining the semen as healthy. Immediately after ejaculation, semen clots forming a jelly like liquid and then again liquefies after 5-40 minutes. Abnormalities in this process are a symptom of unhealthy semen.

The average volume of semen is 2-5ml, if the volume is less than 1.5 ml the condition is known as hyporspermia. If the volume is more than 5.5ml then the condition is known as hyperspermia. Sperm viability is also an important factor. At least 60% of the spermatozoa should be alive; minimum 30 percent should be normal in shape and size. These all contribute to define semen as healthy. Deficiency in any of these measures leads to male infertility and falls under the category of low sperm count.

The main causes for low sperm count:

• Ejaculation cycle: the gap between two ejaculations should be at least 3 days. If the cycle falls short you can’t maintain the health of semen. Maximum number of ejaculation leads to a fall in the density of semen.
• Smoking and Marijuana use: smoking reduces sperm lifespan and also can cause genetic change that can affect the offspring. Chronic cigarette smoking can cause toxins to buildup within the testes leading to defects in sperm morphology and motility. Chronic Marijuana use can also affect sperm. Marijuana can reduce sperm count and lead to fertility impairment.
• Genetic factors: in some cases the genetic factor is also a great contributor towards male infertility. Some of the causes might have been inherited or might have been developed due to environmental causes. Some examples of genetic factors are Klinefelter syndrome and Kartagener syndrome.
• Exposure to heat: sperm need a cooler environment to survive. This is one of the advantages of the scrotal sac. So generally working under high temperature zones or wearing tight fitting underwear, taking regular hot water baths or sitting in sauna tubs for extended periods of time can increase the temperature of the scrotum and thus affect sperm characteristics.
• Mobile phone use: although this may be a recent finding and more research needs to be done, there is data which shows that carrying a mobile phone in the trousers or using mobiles for long durations can cause lower sperm count. Research says persons using a mobile heavily have a lower sperm count, by up to 30%.
• Age: though the effect of age is not properly defined, evidence is growing supporting this hypothesis. Mostly it is watched that the fertility rate falls around half with 60% of men after an age of 39.
• Some other causes: Zinc deficiency, Anabolic steroid use, sexually transmitted infection, ionizing radiation etc.

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