Basic Health FAQs

Q. What is human sperm made up of?
A. Sperm is found inside seminal fluid (semen). Semen is a mixture of sperm and the secretions of the seminal vesicles, prostate gland and the bulbourethral glands. Sperm make up only about 5 percent of semen, or ejaculate. Nevertheless, this is no small amount, and ejaculate contains about 100 to 400 million sperm! Sperm are incredibly small. In fact, a single sperm is the smallest cell in a man's body. The remainder of ejaculate is composed of water, sugar, protein, vitamin C, zinc and prostaglandins.
Each sperm is actually made up of three parts: the head, the midpiece and the tail. The head contains chromosomes or genetic material (DNA) and as well as enzymes needed for the penetration and fertilization of an egg. The midpiece contains material that provides energy for the locomotion of the tail. The tail helps the sperm swim.
Let's go back to the inside of the head of the sperm. All normal human cells have 46 chromosomes, but sperm have half that number, or 23. When, and if, the sperm joins ups with the female's egg (ovum), which also contains 23 chromosomes, together they add up to 46 chromosomes to create a new human cell.
Q. I fart a lot. Where does it come from and how do I stop this?
A. Most people pass gas (flatulence) between 12 to 16 times a day, and get rid of about a pint of gas. Some gas originates from the air you swallow when you talk, chew gum or eat too fast. Some of these gases are released when the natural bacteria present in the gut digests food. This gas is usually a mixture of methane and hydrogen sulfide--that's the rotten egg smell that some people experience.
Some foods can make gas worse. Cabbage and broccoli are known culprits in producing gas. If flatulence is a problem for you, you may want to limit your intake of lentils, beans and cruciferous vegetables (i.e. cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc). Trying to digest lots of fiber--vegetables, brown rice, beans, etc.--can create more gas than usual. You may also want to avoid drinking carbonated beverages and chewing gum. Try eating slowly during meals and avoiding multi-tasking while eating, which can cause you to eat more quickly than you intend. Keep a record to see if some foods make your gas worse and then avoid those culprits. Other recommendations including eating fresh papaya (it contains papain) and fresh pineapple (contains bromelain). These are great sources of beneficial digestive enzymes.