06/03/2025
Today's news and Ayurveda view.
Men With Stronger S***m May Live Longer, Study Finds
Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 5, 2025.
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, March 5, 2025 -- Men with strong, fast-swimming s***m may not only have better fertility but also longer lives, a new study suggests.
Researchers tracked more than 78,000 men over 50 years and found that those with higher s***m motility -- the ability of s***m to swim -- lived nearly three years longer than men with poor s***m movement.
“In absolute terms, men with a total motile count of more than 120 million (per milliliter of semen) lived 2.7 years longer than men with a total motile count of between 0 and 5 million,” lead author Lærke Priskorn, a doctoral candidate at Copenhagen University Hospital -- Rigshospitalet in Denmark, said in a statement.
That translates to a life expectancy of 80.3 years for men with high s***m motility compared to 77.6 years for men with very low motility, according to findings published March 4 in the journal Human Reproduction.
S***m motility is the ability of s***m to move through the female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize an egg.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers s***m motility normal if at least 42% of s***m in a sample can swim effectively.
A motility count lower than 5 million per milliliter of semen is linked to male infertility, the researchers said.
Dr. Michael Eisenberg, professor of urology and director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, reviewed the findings.
“The fact that there is an association between semen quality and longevity is an important finding,” he told CNN via email, adding that prior studies have suggested this link between reproductive health and overall health.
AYURVEDA VIEW:
Shukra dhatu is present all over the body as stated by Acharya Charaka.
सर्वदेहगतं शुक्रं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः| (Charaka Samhita. Chikitsa sthana-15.26)
Shukra Dhatu, the seventh and most refined tissue in the Sapta Dhatu sequence as described in Ayurveda, holds a pivotal role in reproductive functions, vitality, and overall well-being. It represents the culmination of the intricate process of dhatu metabolism, deriving nourishment from the preceding six dhatus: Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscle), Meda (fat), Asthi (bone), and Majja (bone marrow). The physiological equilibrium of Shukra Dhatu is essential for maintaining various aspects of life and health.
The primary physiological function of Shukra Dhatu is the generation of reproductive elements, specifically semen in males and ova in females (Some try to relate it to the hormones- Testosterone,Oestrogen and other such related secretions).
In addition to its reproductive role, Shukra Dhatu is closely associated with the generation of Ojas, the vital essence that governs immunity, vigor, and mental clarity. Ojas is considered the essence of all dhatus and is responsible for sustaining Prana (life force), physical stamina, mental stability, and emotional equilibrium. A well-nourished Shukra Dhatu enhances physical strength, libido, and overall vitality, endowing the body with the resilience required to thrive.
SHUKRA DHATU Ayurveda has explained Shukra as the terminal tissue element of the body and has considered it as the parama teja of all other dhatus.
Shukra dhatu is described to be of two forms in Ayurveda textbooks:
1.The one that is ej******ed during the process of mating, which is responsible for fertilization of o**m and thus embryogenesis. This is semen in males.
2.The one that is formed from predecessor the tissue that fills the bony cavities (majja dhatu). This in turn circulates all over the body both in males and females. Reproduction is the function of this second form of shukra too.
Therefore, on careful examination, it seems that the first form of shukra stands for the semen in general and for s***ms in particular; and the second form of shukra stands for hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of hormones that circulate all over the body.
Ojas, derived from Shukra Dhatu and others, plays a critical role in enhancing the body's immunity and overall health. It bolsters the immune system, aiding the body in warding off diseases and infections. With robust Ojas, individuals experience greater resistance to illness and an elevated sense of well-being.
Ojas is the purest, finest essence formed from all seven dhatu. [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 15/19], [A.Sa.Sharira Sthana 6] The shleshma (kapha dosha) in a normal state is considered as Oja. [Cha. Sa. Sutra Sthana 17/117].
Oja is responsible for the vitality of the body throughout life. [Su.Sa. Sutra Sthana 15/21]
