What determines sperm health?
- Quantity: A man is most likely fertile if he ejaculates more than 39 million sperm.
- Quality: He is most likely to be fertile if more than 4 percent of his sperm has a normal shape and structure. A normal sperm has an oval head and a long tail, which work together to propel it forward. Sperm with large, small, tapered, or crooked heads or kinky, curled, or double tails are less likely to fertilize an egg.
- Motility: To reach the egg, sperm have to move on their own — wriggling and swimming the last few inches to reach and penetrate the egg. He's most likely to be fertile if more than 40 percent of his sperm are moving.
One way to check for sperm health is to do a semen analysis.
Steps for immediate sperm improvement (It takes 3 months)
- Stay away from heat such as saunas, hot tubs, jacuzzis, etc
- Wear boxer underwear
- Watch out for too much sitting or jobs close to heat
- Bicycling can heat up the scrotum too
- Take a multivitamin and antioxidant supplement like FertilAid For Men. A daily multivitamin PLUS antioxidants can help nutrients that are important for optimal sperm production and function. A 2019 review suggests that supplementation with selenium (alone or combined with N-acetylcysteine), co-enzyme Q10 and the combinations L-carnitine + acetyl-L-carnitine, folic acid + zinc, and EPA + DHA is beneficial in the treatment of male infertility.
What's the best way to produce healthy sperm?
These are some simple steps to increase the chances of producing healthy sperm:
Optimal weight
He should be at his optimal weight: Obesity is diagnosed when the BMI is 30 and above. It is well known that her obesity lowers her chances of getting pregnant, and losing weight improves her chances of getting pregnant. However, few people talk about his obesity. Several studies have shown that his obesity can reduce his sperm function which affects the chance of getting pregnant. The father's preconception health is as significant as the mother's health to improve the chances of getting pregnant. If you want to improve your chances of getting pregnant, being at an optimal weight is key.
No alcohol
He should abstain from alcohol, a father's drinking was associated with increased heart problems in the baby,
His multivitamin and antioxidant
Take a multivitamin and antioxidant supplement like FertilAid For Men. A daily multivitamin PLUS antioxidants can help nutrients that are important for optimal sperm production and function. A 2019 review suggests that supplementation with selenium (alone or combined with N-acetylcysteine), co-enzyme Q10, and the combinations L-carnitine + acetyl-L-carnitine, folic acid + zinc, and EPA + DHA is beneficial in the treatment of male infertility. Other antioxidant supplements such as CountBoost and MotilityBoost are also available to help improve sperm parameters.
Fertility and the Mediterranean diet: Much fruits and vegetables
Eat a fertility diet such as a Mediterranean diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods are rich in antioxidants, which may help improve sperm health.
Manage stress
Stress may interfere with certain hormones needed to produce sperm. Stress can also decrease sexual function.
Get plenty of physical activity
Physical activity is good for reproductive health as well as overall health. However, don't overdo it. A man who exercises to exhaustion may experience a temporary change in hormone levels and a drop in sperm quality. And keep your testes cool because heating them up (like in a sauna or hot tub) may decrease the sperm count.
Watch his weight
Too much body fat may disrupt the production of reproductive hormones, which can reduce sperm count and increase the percentage of abnormal sperm. He's most likely to produce high-quality sperm if he maintains a healthy weight.
Learn exactly how the sperm and egg fuse!
Get enough sleep
Go to sleep before 10:30 PM. One study shows men had healthier sperm when they went to sleep before 10:30 when compared to men who went to bed after 11:30.
Avoid tobacco and stop smoking
Smoking significantly decreases both sperm count and sperm cell motility. Smoking can cause sperm to be misshapen and move slowly. In addition, smoking can damage his sperm's DNA, possibly affecting a baby's growth, development, and risk of cancer. Chewing tobacco also may cause low sperm counts. If your partner uses tobacco, have him talk to his doctor about helping him quit.
Limit alcohol
Heavy drinking can reduce the quality and quantity of sperm. If your partner chooses to drink alcohol, have him limit himself to no more than one or two drinks a day.
Steer clear of illicit drugs
Marijuana can decrease sperm motility and increase the number of abnormal sperm. Cocaine and opiates can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
Skip the tub and other cautions
Spending more than 30 minutes in water that's 104 F (40 C) or above may lower his sperm count. Avoid hot tubs and steam baths. Saunas may have a similar effect. Prevent overheating of the scrotum: an increase in scrotal temperature (caused by tight underwear, long stays in a sauna or Jacuzzi) can impair sperm production. Here are our top 12 suggestions for protecting sperm and keeping them healthy:
- Limit time on the bike. Sitting on a bicycle seat for more than 30 minutes at a time — especially if he also wears tight bicycle shorts — may raise his scrotal temperature and affect sperm production. If he bikes, choose a bike seat that's not too hard or narrow and make sure it's adjusted to keep weight on his "sit bones." While biking, stop for frequent rests.
- Stay cool. Increased scrotal temperature can hurt sperm production. Hot work environments, tight underwear, prolonged sitting, and the use of laptop computers directly on his lap can all increase scrotal temperature. Fever also can affect sperm production and quality.
- Avoid lubricants during sex. Personal lubricants, lotions, and even saliva can interfere with sperm motility. Instead, use vegetable, safflower, or peanut oil.
- If possible, avoid certain medications. Anabolic steroids, antibiotics, and certain medications used to control chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure or inflammatory bowel disease, can reduce your fertility. Anti-androgens used to treat prostate enlargement and cancer interfere with sperm production. In addition, chemotherapy drugs and radiation treatment for cancer can cause permanent infertility. If you're considering cancer treatment, ask your doctor about saving and freezing your sperm (semen cryopreservation) beforehand.
- Watch out for toxins. Workplace and household substances — such as industrial heavy metals, pesticides, and chemicals in solvents — may affect sperm quantity and quality. Use protective clothing, proper ventilation, and face masks to reduce the risk of absorbing toxins.
- Take a regular vitamin and fertility supplement including folic acid.
- Prevent excessive stress and perform relaxation exercises. Since infertility and life, in general, can be stressful, learn to relax. Stress is sometimes responsible for certain infertility issues such as hormonal problems.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being under or overweight can influence estrogen and testosterone levels.
- Stop steroids. Anabolic steroid use may cause testicular shrinkage.
- Do not overdo exercise. Overly intense exercise can produce high levels of adrenal steroid hormones which can cause a testosterone deficiency.
- Stay away from environmental hazards and toxins. Avoid lead, paint, radiation, radioactive substances, mercury, benzene, boron, and heavy metals.
- Eat well, get hydrated, and sleep well. Malnutrition and anemia can negatively affect your sperm count.
Does aging affect sperm health?
Women aren't the only ones who have biological clocks. Growing older — beyond age 50 — may affect male fertility by reducing sperm motility and the amount of normal sperm. Some research also suggests that women who become pregnant by older men are at higher risk of miscarriage and that children of older men have a slightly higher risk of certain birth defects, autism, and cognitive impairment.
When is it time to seek help?
Adopting healthy lifestyle practices to promote his fertility — and avoiding things that can damage it — may improve you and your partner's chances of conceiving. If you and your partner haven't gotten pregnant after a year of unprotected sex, however, ask your doctor about semen analysis. A fertility specialist also may be able to identify the cause of the problem and provide treatments that help place you and your partner on the road to parenthood.
