How long sperm lives inside the testicles?

Sperms are male reproductive cells that are produced in males testicles. These cells are made by the Sertoli cells, which are the supporting cells of the testicles. 

The questions around male infertility are numerous and when you are trying to conceive, it's hard to know where to begin. From sperm motility, life cycle, lifespan, and semen to sperm count, this article will help you identify the right questions and guide you to better solutions.

For conception, sperms must travel through a female body to reach the ovum. This journey takes approximately 72 hours. The sperms swim inside the female cervix and uterus to reach the fallopian tubes. This is known as a ‘sperm journey’.

What are the Characteristics of Sperm?

Creamy texture, colorless, odorless, and tasteless, sperms are very fragile and easily die out if exposed to the external environment for a long time (temperature, oxygen, etc.)

Sperms are produced in males testicles (testes). A male has two testicles located behind the penis and right in front of the anus. During their production, sperms do not go anywhere from this location.

Sperm have a head, a midpiece, and a tail. The head of the sperm carries the genetic material to fertilize the egg of a female. Sperm midpiece contains mitochondria for energy production and glycolytic enzymes to provide for its swimming capabilities. The tail of the sperm has a flagellum for swimming.

What is Sperm Life Cycle?

The sperm regeneration cycle is called spermatogenesis which takes about 64 days to complete the cycle of sperm production and maturation. Spermatogenesis constantly supplies sperm that are capable of traveling through the vagina to an unfertilized ovum in a woman’s ovaries to complete the process of conception.

How long does it Take the Sperm to form Inside the Testicles?

Human sperms are male reproductive cells or gametes that are produced by the male gonads (testicles) and ejaculated through the penis during sexual intercourse. Human sperms are the second smallest living creatures (second to the common housefly). They are considered as a small cell without a cell nucleus, but it is not completely devoid of genetic material. 

Sperms take approximately 72 days to form inside the testicles. While inside testicles, nearly four months of spermatogenesis take place, where millions of sperm are produced.

What is Sperm Motility?

Sperm motility is the ability of sperm to move independently. It is a function of the flagella, which beats quickly and continuously to propel the sperm towards an egg.

Healthy sperm motility can be defined as sperm with forwarding progressions of at least 25 micrometers per second. Poor sperm motility is called asthenozoospermia. This causes issues like slow or sluggish progressive motility, no mobility, or non-progressive motility.

What is the Life Span of Sperm Cells?

The life span of sperm depends on what man it belongs to. The average life span of sperms is only 3 to 5 days in fertile semen. However, sperms can survive in a woman’s body anywhere between 5 days to one week.

What is Conception?

Conception is a process wherein the sperm cell travels up through the vagina and into the uterus of a woman and fertilizes the egg cell and travels down one of the fallopian tubes from the ovary to the uterus.

Human sperms are the male reproductive cells designed to fertilize the female egg. They are produced in the seminiferous tubules of the male testes. Human sperms are considered germ cells as they are not differentiated cells. It is the spermatozoon stage (at its full form) that can fertilize the female egg and produce offspring. 

How to Boost Sperm Production?

Testosterone is responsible to stimulate sperm production and a low level of testosterone might lead to reduced sperm production and sex drive.

Sex drive is the desire to have sexual intercourse. It has a variety of definitions. In men, low libido or low sex drive is often a result of hormone problems, but can also be caused by psychological issues, stress, or medical reasons. It has been found that low libido is the root cause of many other sexual problems and in some cases, a temporary state can lead to adverse permanent effects.

Sperm production can be increased by taking supplements along with a proper diet and regular exercise.

Vitamin D, C, and E are vital for sperm health and these vitamins can help increase sperm concentration and mobility. 

Keep a check on your weight and avoid drugs like tobacco, marijuana, etc because they can decrease testosterone levels, thus, negatively affecting sperm production. Apart from these drugs, smoking has also been known to lower sex drive and reduced sperm count. 

Take Away

Sperm is the male reproductive cell. A sperm cell is produced in the testis and it contains 23 chromosomes (half the number of chromosomes as found in the egg). The sperm has a head, a middle piece, and a tail. It transports the sperm cell to the female egg through the fallopian tube.

When a man is unable to produce sperms that are capable of fertilizing the female egg, this condition is called infertility. Causes of male infertility vary from one to the other. The causes can be physical, such as genetic abnormalities, hormonal disorders, infections, and damage to the reproductive system, or psychological ones, such as stress, anxiety, and depression.