If men always smoke, it will greatly affect their health and also expose others to secondhand smoke. Now we also advocate quitting smoking in public places. In fact, smoking not only affects men's lungs, but also may harm sperm. The more you smoke, the lower the quality and vitality of male sperm. So what are the effects of smoking on male sperm?
1. Smoking causes sperm mutations
Smoking is a mutagenic substance that causes sperm development and can affect the maturation and proliferation of reproductive cells. The rate of chromosomal abnormalities is significantly increased in heavy smokers, and sister chromatid exchange in peripheral blood lymphocytes is also higher than in non-smokers.
2. Smoking causes mutations in sperm bacteria
The condensation of cigarette smoke can induce bacterial mutations and is a potent mutagen for sister chromatid exchange in human lymphocytes in culture media. Population data shows that the incidence of chromosomal damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of smokers is related to the type of smoking. Hopkin et al. found that in individuals who smoke heavily and smoke unfiltered cigarettes, their lymphocyte damage is severe.
3. Smoking affects sperm vitality
Smoking can have a certain effect on the vitality of sperm by inhibiting the enzyme system of sperm through the condensation of cigarette smoke, which is the inhibition of choline acetyltransferase.
Now we know that smoking does have a certain impact on male sperm, sometimes leading to sperm mutations, and greatly affecting sperm vitality, making it difficult for women to conceive. Especially if one smokes frequently, the rate of chromosomal abnormalities is also relatively high. Even if a woman successfully becomes pregnant, the fetal development is likely to be abnormal.
