An unfulfilled desire to have children is usually a huge problem for those affected, and can sometimes turn life plans upside down. If you and your partner are looking for possible reasons why things aren't working out, you should also talk about alcohol. As well as the many harmful effects, drinking alcohol can also have a negative effect on your partner's potency.

Researchers now know that alcohol consumption has a direct effect on the quality of sperm cells - their number decreases and their motility is reduced, which is a big problem if you don't want to have children. Several studies have supported this finding. However, they all show that it is less important how much your partner drinks on any particular day. It is more important to drink regularly throughout the week.

There is really only one way to counteract this: your partner needs to cut down consistently and improve his or her own lifestyle in the long term. This is especially true if you are considering IVF. This is because the success of artificial insemination depends largely on the quality of the sperm available.

Alcohol and sperm quality: what the science says

If you're trying to have a baby but haven't succeeded, you're not alone. According to scientific estimates, around 15 per cent of couples worldwide have an unfulfilled desire to have a child. In one in three cases, the man is to blame. One thing is certain: men who drink alcohol regularly put the health of their sperm at risk. Beer, spirits and the like actively inhibit the formation of sperm and reduce the number of functional sperm, which are essential if you want to have children.

There have been several studies on this subject, and they all come to slightly different conclusions. But they all agree on one thing: alcoholic drinks have a direct effect on the quality of sperm. So your partner might want to think twice before continuing to drink beer, wine and spirits.

Researcher: People who drink a lot have bad sperm

A study led by researcher Tina Kold Jensen from the University of Southern Denmark recently investigated the link between alcoholic drinks and sperm quality. About 1,200 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 28 took part in the study. They all provided a sperm sample for the study, which was tested in the laboratory. The researchers assessed the quality of the sperm using three criteria: Motility, volume and concentration. In addition, the participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their alcohol consumption. They were asked how much beer, wine and spirits they had drunk in the week before the sperm sample, how often they drank and how long it had been since their last binge. The men reported their drinking in units of twelve milligrams of alcohol - about one bottle of beer or one glass of wine.

The result was clear: those who had consumed more than five units in the previous week had by far the worst sperm. And this was not uncommon: about half of the experimental group said they regularly drank five or more units in a week. According to the study, it was the quantity that mattered: those who consumed around 40 units or more per week had on average a third fewer sperm, half of which were non-functional.

Drinking, on the other hand, seemed to have little effect on sperm quality. According to the researchers, this could be because most of the men in the study had had their last heavy drink some time ago.

According to the study, alcoholic drinks have a direct effect on sperm formation. So if your partner takes a break for a while, it could help improve the quality of his sperm in the long term.

Moderate consumption has little effect

Eine Studie von Tina Kold Jensen von der Universität Odense kam zu einem etwas anderen Ergebnis. Sie hatte das Sperma von mehr als 8.000 Männern im Alter zwischen 18 und 45 Jahren untersucht und sie auch nach ihren Trinkgewohnheiten befragt. Das Ergebnis in diesem Fall: Diejenigen, die mäßig tranken, hatten mindestens so gute Spermien wie diejenigen, die gar nicht tranken - in einigen Fällen sogar besser. Der Studie zufolge galt dies für Männer, die nicht mehr als 250 Gramm Alkohol pro Woche tranken - also weniger als 21 Einheiten.

Die Forscher kamen zu dem Schluss, dass der Effekt mit dem Testosteronspiegel der Probanden zusammenhängt. Demnach ist gelegentlicher Alkoholkonsum für Ihren Partner wahrscheinlich zunächst nicht schädlich - solange er in Maßen trinkt.

Italian researchers: Up to 14 grams a week within limits

An Italian study confirms these findings. A team of researchers led by Elena Ricci from the Policlinico di Milano studied the link between alcoholic drinks and sperm quality in 323 male subjects who had not yet been able to have children. The average age of the men was 39. As part of the study, they reported how much they drank and how much tobacco and caffeinated drinks they regularly consumed. They also gave information about their eating habits and how much exercise they did. One in three drank. The amounts ranged from less than five grams to more than 14 grams. One in ten said they did not drink at all.

The result from the Italians was surprising: those who drank no more than 14 grams of alcohol a week not only had the largest sperm volume, but also the highest concentration. Sperm motility was not affected. So in this study, the men who drank in moderation had the best sperm quality.

Important to know: The researchers could not prove that the alcohol was the cause. However, they suspect that the substances resveratrol and xanthohumol found in beer and wine have a positive effect on sexuality. In other words, the dose makes the poison.

It is too much to have more than five units.

What conclusions can be drawn from these studies? Basically, there is a direct link between sperm quality and a man's alcohol consumption. There is no contradiction between the researchers. But it depends on the quantity: If you drink moderately, you should not have to worry about your fertility. However, if you regularly drink more than five units a week, the quality of your sperm will deteriorate. The effects are particularly noticeable after 25 units a week - the volume, concentration and motility of the sperm rapidly decline.

It is better to avoid alcoholic drinks if you want to have children.

Giving up your beloved after-work beer? For many men, this is unthinkable at first. But if you and your loved one have an unfulfilled desire to have children, you should change your habits. Even if the research is inconclusive, it makes sense to abstain for a while. The good news is that just a few weeks of behavioural change may be enough to improve your partner's lifestyle and the quality of his sperm in the long term.

The same is true if you are considering artificial insemination. IVF, where the doctor combines the egg with pre-prepared sperm, requires a healthy lifestyle. If you and your partner decide to undergo this type of treatment, it is advisable to abstain from alcohol completely beforehand. You should then continue to do this for a few weeks - or even better, a few months. Otherwise, you may jeopardise the success of the treatment - and your desire to have a child may remain unfulfilled.