{"id":316465,"date":"2026-03-12T11:40:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=condition&p=316465"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:47:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:47:46","slug":"male-infertility-a-traditional-chinese-medicine-perspective","status":"publish","type":"condition","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/condition\/male-infertility-a-traditional-chinese-medicine-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"Male infertility: A traditional Chinese medicine perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Male infertility is a common reproductive health concern worldwide. This article outlines its epidemiology, clinical classification, and interpretation in traditional Chinese medicine, including the roles of Kidney function and jing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding male infertility<\/h2><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/div>
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\"Male<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Male infertility refers to a man\u2019s inability to get a female partner pregnant despite engaging in regular unprotected intercourse for at least a year. Globally, around 1 in 6 people of reproductive age \u2014 men and women \u2014 will experience infertility at some point during their lifetime (1). Approximately 7% of all men are affected by infertility (2). In UK alone, around 10.1% of men report having experienced infertility (3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Male infertility is predominantly categorised by reproductive history or reproductive history. According to reproductive history classification, there are two types of male infertility:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Primary infertility<\/strong> \u2014 when a couple has never had children, either together or in previous relationships and struggle with infertility (4).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Secondary infertility<\/strong> \u2014when the couple has already had children together or have done so separately in previous relationships, but are are having trouble (4).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    When classified by underlying cause, male infertility can be defined as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Pre-testicular \u2014 caused by systemic or hormonal conditions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Testicular \u2014 owing to issues with the testes impacting spermatogenesis<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Post-testicular \u2014 from pathophysiologies affecting sperm transport or ejaculation (2)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      How does male infertility work?<\/h2><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/div>
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      While Western medicine looks into sperm count (oligospermia or azoospermia), motility, and morphology as indicators of male infertility. Chinese medicine offers a different insight into male infertility; it views male infertility as a result of deeper imbalances within the body, instead of a single disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Kidneys are of utmost importance when addressing male infertility. Kidneys store jing<\/em>, which is essentially an essence that a man acquires from his parents. Inherited weak jing <\/em>can be due to poor parental health at conception, maternal illness during pregnancy, premature birth, or inherited genetic weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Jing<\/em> plays a very important role in growth, development and fertility. A man\u2019s fertility is strong, when his Kidney jing <\/em>is strong and Kidney yang<\/em> is healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Weak Kidney <\/strong>jing<\/em><\/strong> can affect: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n