Sperm turbo drive in the female genital
Do zinc and cannabis affect sperm turbo? University of California biophysicists and molecular biologists have found a key factor in enabling male sperm to become active in the female body.
Yuriy Kirichok, PhD, head of the project at the Department of Physiology at the University of California (UCSF), said the researchers discovered the so-called HV1 pore, which only needs to open the sperm to release protons.
"For the first time ever, we had a chance to study the electrical activity of the human sperm cell and measure its ionic conductivity," says Kirichok. "It was clear to us that there was a big proton flow going on there. The activity looked like the HV1 activity in phagocytes. "
The increased hydrogen ion (proton) concentration in sperm compared to the genital tract of the woman, then use the former probably through the HV1 pore to the final spurt to the egg. Kirichok compares the mechanism of the drive with the release of air from a balloon.
Interestingly, this mechanism can probably be inhibited by zinc. Since the sperm in the male reproductive tract are still completely quiet and high zinc levels prevail, there seems to be a connection. In the female genital tract, the zinc levels are significantly lower and so HV1 pores are not inhibited.
By contrast, the action of endocannaboids is diametrically opposed. These are the body's own hemp-like substances. So far, one knows not only in naturopathy that endocannabinoids down the appetite, fade memories, reduce pain and let us calm down a bit in hectic.
This body's own drug is also formed in the area of the female egg. She is there able to heat the sperm to move. A possible useful mechanism to help the sperm get through the last stretch to their destination. The fact that the sperm behave so quietly in the man and thus reserve power for their actual task in the woman's body, could possibly be counteracted by cannabis consumption.
This would be a possible explanation for observations of taking cannabis. There it was reported that there were shifts in fertility. Whether cannabis consumers use it to activate their sperm too early and that they are no longer able to do so later is only one theory. In this direction, however, more light could be shed with future studies built on the foundation of Californian new methods. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy, 05.02.2010)