Have you heard the rumor that men develop small testicles after vasectomy?
It’s not just a rumor.
Small testicles and shrunken penis after excision are very real problems for many men, and so are many other serious complications.
If you want a great sex life, why have surgery to prevent your sex organ from doing its job?
There are other ways to prevent pregnancy, and it’s never a good idea to tamper with something that’s working as it should.
Sure, the medical establishment claims that vasectomy is a very safe procedure, but that isn’t the case for all men.
Small testicles are just one excision side effect that you can experience after having the snip.
Vasectomy can lead to lower testosterone – which directly leads to small testicles – and it can also lead to pain, the production of anti-sperm antibodies and more.
How much convincing will you need to avoid having this dangerous procedure?
Vasectomy Lowers Testosterone In Some Men
Let’s be clear: vasectomy works pretty well to prevent unwanted pregnancy — although the procedure isn’t 100 percent effective.
But is it a good idea for male sexual health?
That’s what researchers conducting a 2013 study, published in African Health Sciences, were trying to determine.
They introduce their research like this:
Vasectomy, which is the surgical ligation of the vas deferens, has been in use as a popular method of contraception for men. However, despite the controversies surrounding the applicability of vasectomy as a male contraceptive method, it has continued to attract continued interest from researchers and urologists. The contraceptive effectiveness of this technique has been established by investigators but they continue to generate sharp divisions as to the potential deleterious consequences thereafter.
Low-T and Small Testicles After Vasectomy
In this study involving rats, only one testicle was disabled via vasectomy.
But sperm production went down in both testicles over the long term.
So what?
Low testosterone – the male hormone – can significantly reduce sex drive, cause testicles to shrink, and even lead to the development of female sexual characteristics like breast tissue.
When breasts develop in a man the condition is called gynecomastia. You can imagine what a turnoff this would be to any lady considering a relationship with you.
And these symptoms may not appear until years after the procedure.
The complications from vasectomy are short-term and long-term issues.
Problems like pain, nerve damage, and your body having difficulty controlling the temperature of your testes can start immediately. Others can take longer to develop.
It turns out that small testicles after vasectomy may be the least of your problems.
You could be setting yourself up for a lifetime of worsening sexual health issues.
Vasectomy Can Cause Testicular Pain
Among the worst complications of vasectomy is the potential for pain.
Men with post-vasectomy pain syndrome – that’s a real condition – often experience lowered sex drive and have sex less frequently.
Wouldn’t you avoid an activity that hurts? Having less sex, in turn, can reduce semen production, leading to testicular atrophy.
And this isn’t pseudo-science suggesting some pain might possibly be linked to this surgical procedure.
The following symptoms are known to be potential complications of vasectomy:
- Persistent pain in the genital area
- Groin pain after working out
- Pain while becoming erect
- Pain while having sex
- Discomfort at ejaculation
- Inability to get an erection at all
In multiple studies, researchers have found that reversing a vasectomy reversed the pain, drawing a direct link between the pain and the procedure.
In the Journal of Urology, one study looked at 13 men who had vasectomy reversal specifically to get rid of pain.
Nine of the 13 men got rid of their vasectomy pain entirely.
Another study in the same journal examined 32 men with vasectomy pain who had vasectomy reversal. In this study, 27 of those men got rid of their pain by having their vasectomies undone.
The men in these studies could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by not having the snip in the first place.
Vasectomy Patients Often Produce Anti-sperm Antibodies
Perhaps the scariest possible complication from having the sperm supply to your penis cut off is an inflammatory autoimmune reaction.
While small testicles after vasectomy are a serious concern, this possible complication is much worse.
You see, getting the snip doesn’t stop sperm production. It causes sperm to back up in the vas deferens, and your strong and healthy immune system can kick in to take away the backed-up sperm.
In other words, you body can see your own sperm as a foreign invader – a threat – and attack it. This can lead to pain, pressure and eventual testicular damage.
Really? Our bodies have antibodies against lots of things, right?
Most of us took a vaccine against whooping cough and mumps, and the antibodies created by these vaccines have no harmful effects on us.
The abstract of a study published in the journal Reproduction, Fertility and Development starts off with this sentence that tells the whole story of just how damaging this problem can be:
The presence of sperm antibodies correlates with nearly every pathological condition of the male reproductive tract.
Wow.
And just a year after a vasectomy, most men already have anti-sperm antibodies. That’s just plain scary.
Small Testicles After Vasectomy: Conclusion
We’re talking about small testicles after vasectomy, right?
As it turns out, small testicles that result from having the snip are just the tip of the iceberg.
In addition to reduced testosterone production – which leads to small testicles – vasectomies can cause serious pain and a scary immune system response.
But that’s not all. Men have reported the following additional complications:
- Low sex drive from a lack of overall energy
- Depression
- Pressure in the testicles
- Nerve damage from fibrous tissue entrapment
- Ruptures or blowouts through the skin during ejaculation
- Chronic inflammatory conditions
- Scrotal and epididymal cysts
What else?
Some link prostate and testicular cancer to vasectomy. And even lymph node enlargement and adrenal gland dysfunction have a relation with vasectomy.
So with the possibility of small testicles after vasectomy plus all these related problems, why risk it?
Other effective forms of birth control are available that don’t involve altering the delicate balance of your reproductive system.
Still considering a vasectomy?
Don’t. Just don’t.
Update – Natural Ways to Prevent Small Testicles
Let’s be clear – I do not recommend getting a vasectomy. As I said above, in my opinion there are too many negative side effects for this risk to be worth it.
While I don’t recommend vasectomy as a birth control method, it’s ultimately your choice. I can only give you the facts.
That said, if you choose to go through with it and you’re worried about small testicles after the procedure, there are plenty of natural ways you can fight back.
None of these methods are guaranteed to reverse shrinking testicles, but the science confirms that they can all increase your testosterone levels.
Testosterone is critical. You need healthy testosterone levels in your body in order to maintain large, healthy testicles.
I’ve written about this extensively. Check out this article for some proven natural methods to increase testicle size.
Also check out this article to learn about some common mistakes to avoid.
Now let’s take a look at a few natural ways to help solve the problem of small testicles.
Eat Carbs to Raise Testosterone
Your diet is one of the biggest single factors that influences your testosterone levels.
This might shock some of you, but carbohydrates are one of the most important things you should be eating for hormonal health (that includes testosterone).
Studies have shown that men with low-carb diets have significantly lower levels of testosterone than men with more balance, carb-rich diets. (source)
Now before you jump to conclusions, let me explain. Not all carbs are beneficial, but there are specific foods you should target.
In general, I would avoid foods high in gluten and some grain products.
Why? Studies have shown that gluten can increase prolactin levels – and prolactin is a major enemy of testosterone. (source)
Other studies have shown that certain grain products can negatively impact T levels too. (source)
So what to eat then? I recommend focusing on root vegetables, fruit and fruit juices, milk, white rice, and even cane sugar.
Of all these, my top food to increase T levels is the potato. Potatoes are carbohydrate-rich and also pack a bunch of other excellent nutrients your body needs.
All types of potatoes are fair game – sweet potatoes, russet, red, white, and purple. Potato chips work too as long as they’re not loaded with polyunsaturated fats.
Looking for more foods that raise testosterone? Check out this article for my top 20 testosterone-boosting foods.
Drink More Water
We all know that water is essential for us to live.
But did you know that staying hydrated is also critical for maintaining healthy testosterone levels?
The reason why is that dehydration puts our bodies under stress. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol which has been shown to lower testosterone levels in men. (source)
You don’t have to be gasping for a drink for this to happen either.
Multiple studies have shown that even mild dehydration can cause a big bump in cortisol levels. This, in turn, can lower your T levels. (source, source)
So get a good water bottle (I recommend metal or glass – not plastic) and focus on staying well hydrated.
Stay Active
Staying active is crucial for your overall health, and it has a big impact on your testosterone levels.
Now, while high intensity exercise is best, you don’t need to go this far if you don’t want to.
Even mild daily activity is enough to help maintain healthy T levels in your body.
One recent study confirmed this by putting a sample of overweight men through a 12-week program consisting of mild physical activity. Results showed that increased physical activity caused a significant boost in T levels. (source)
Other studies have shown the same results – as physical activity increases, T levels go up. (source, source)
References:
Vasectomy reversal for the post-vasectomy pain syndrome: a clinical and histological evaluation
Vasectomy Reversal for Treatment of the Post-Vasectomy Pain Syndrome
Sperm antibodies in rat models of male hormonal contraception and vasectomy
Serotonin, depression, and aggression: The problem of brain energy
Acute suppression of circulating testosterone levels by cortisol in men
Effect of exercise, heat stress, and hydration on immune cell number and function
Physically active men show better semen parameters and hormone values than sedentary men