Causes of High Sperm DNA Fragmentation

UPDATED ON 24 FEB. 2023

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What are the Causes of High Sperm DNA Fragmentation?

Sperm DNA Fragmentation occurs when the DNA in your sperm is damaged.

It’s one of the probable causes of infertility in many males, even if their sperm count is good.

If DFI (DNA Fragmentation Index) is below 15%, it’s considered normal, and if it’s above 25%, it’s called abnormal.

This short and informative piece will discuss the causes of DNA fragmentation. So let’s begin.

Cause of DNA Fragmentation Index

There are two primary causes for DNA fragmentation. In medical terms, we call them:

• Testicular Cause :

Testes are responsible for the production of sperm. If there is an issue with this production in testes, it’s called a testicular cause. Diagnosing testicular causes for DNA fragmentation is quite difficult.

Generally, doctors reach this conclusion only after eliminating all the non-testicular causes of DNA fragmentation.

The testicular cause is responsible for almost 30% of cases of high DFI.

• Post-testicular Cause :
  

Certain factors might cause high DNA fragmentation in sperm.

e.g. a viral infection. If your body temperature rises due to infection, your DNA fragmentation index might go up. It returns to its normal level after the infection disappears.

Another major Post-testicular cause in India is Obesity. Excessive obesity adversely impacts sperm self-healing capacity. This results in the rise of DFI.

Also Read : How to Choose the Best IVF Centre in Mumbai (in 2022)? The Complete Guide

Smoking and alcoholism are also common causes of high DFI.

It’s important to note here that we are talking about excessive alcoholism and smoking.

But excessive usage of tobacco and alcohol might lead to higher DFI.

Autoimmune factors, too, can result in high DFI.

This cause is quite common in India and is still ignored. Autoimmune factors like Psoriasis, skin rash, and allergy are notorious for raising the DFI.

Age is another factor that impacts the DFI. As men age, sperm healing capacity decreases, resulting in higher DFI.

Although rare, Hormonal Imbalance too can result in higher DFI.

If none of the above factors is responsible for your high DFI, then the only cause left is the Testicular cause.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to treat the testicular cause.

On the contrary, it’s very easy to treat Post-testicular causes. E.g. losing weight, taking medication for an autoimmune disorder, or stopping alcohol and smoking might help.

Wrapping up

High DFI can be a result of any of the above-mentioned causes. So if you have been diagnosed with it, we strongly recommend you connect with male infertility specialists. They will perform your testicular examination.

These tests include certain blood tests and other relevant tests. Based on this detailed diagnosis, your specialist will chart your treatment plan.

It is very important to note that every sperm-related treatment takes at least 3 to 6 months.

You cannot expect results in shorter terms. The same goes for the treatments for bringing down DFI.

If you need further information or assistance on DNA fragmentation, feel free to reach out. We are here to help

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