**3. Life style and male infertility**

There has been an association established between the life style factors and male infertility. Factors like the dietary measures, smoking, regular exposure to hot surfaces, common insomnia, liquor boozing, advanced ages, illicit drugs, obesity and prolonged exposure to the mobile phone led electromagnetic radiation play vital roles in causing male infertility [4].

#### **3.1 Smoking**

Smoking pays heavily with the fertile health of the man. Cigarette has addictive ingredients like nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or benzene like volatile organic compound besides heavy metals like cadmium and lead [24]. Smoking is associated with the deterioration of semen quality. Smokers have raised levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at levels that can overpower the cell anti oxidant defenses [25]. With increase in ROS the spermatozoa is exposed to oxidative stress that causes the impairment in the sperm physiology that ultimately ends up in infertility. **Figure 3** shows the role of ROS in impairing the male infertility. Without the activation of (ChK1), the overall decline in sperm repairing is affected by large [26].

It ultimately leads to increase in the sperm apoptosis, thereby compromising semen quality. The paternal smoking prior to conception proves an increased risk for various developmental disorders in the offspring. During the pregnancy time maternal smoking potentially causes severe effects on male offspring fertility by lessen the germ cell population.

## **3.2 Alcohol**

Alcohol action on male reproductive system is through hypothalamus- pituitarygonadal axis (HPG). Alcohol impairs the production of hormones like GnRH, FSH, LH and testosterone besides impairing the function of leydig and Sertoli cells [27]. All this leads to the impaired development of spermatozoa. Acute ethanol intake affects the testicular Steriodogenic activities; it further has a negative impact on the anti oxidant enzyme activities resulting in response to the raised oxidative stress. Studies also reveal the link between the alcohol administration by male partners in couples facing the primary infertility and sperm Terotogeny. **Figure 4** summarizes the role of Alcohol in impairing the production of hormones.

#### **Figure 3.**

*The effects of smoking on male infertility. Adapted from, Omar Haque Joseph A. Vitale Ashok Agarwal Stefan S. du Plessis.*

**Figure 4.**

*The role of alcohol in impairing the production of hormones. Image source, Andrea Sansone reproductive biology and endocrinology volume 16, Article Number 3(2018).*

#### **3.3 Drugs**

Drugs like Marijuana, narcotics and anabolic –androgenic steroids (AAS) have a negative correlation with male infertility [27]. These recreational drugs as we count them have adverse impact history on HPG axis, testicular anatomy and sperm functioning. Marijuana Phytocannabinoids obstructs the cannabinoids in binding with the cannabinoid and vaniloid receptors that negatively influences the ECS (Endogenous cannabinoid system) and thereby consequently impair male infertility [28].

#### **3.4 Anaboilic androgenic steroids**

Anabolic Androgenic steroids (AAS) are used by males to boost the sport activity or athletic performance. The AAS induced hypogonadism has seen a surge among young men over years [28]. Increased levels of Testosterone due to administration of AAS imply a negative feedback on hypothalamic –pituitary gonad axis leading to the containment of spermatogenesis, testicular atrophy and finally infertility [29].

It further results in the transitory Azoospermia with a recovery period of no less than two years. Besides inducing the Azospermia, Anabolic Androgenic Steroid abuse also promote the failure of libido besides erectile dysfunction.
