Women are the ones who get pregnant and pay more attention to their health and wellbeing, but when a couple is planning for a baby, there’re lots of healthy changes men can make too.
As it takes two to make a baby, there’s numerous stuff a man can do as a future father to help their partner have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Considering that, on an average, among one in six couples who struggle to have a baby, half of the time the male partner contributes to the problem.
Therefore for the sake of their sperm, it’s essential for a man to be in optimal health.
The good news for men all around the globe is that, while women are born with all the eggs they’ll ever have, men have the opportunity to make new sperm every 2 or 3 months.
It simply means that any healthy changes made by a man can have a greater impact on his fertility in just a few months.
According to M. Max Ezzati, M.D (reproductive endocrinologist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation) – “For a woman to become pregnant, lots of different factors need to line up.”
Alex Kim, M.D., an infertility specialist with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation says, “About 15 percent of infertility is unexplained. Of the remaining 85 percent, roughly 30 percent is solely related to the woman while 30 percent is linked to the man. The remainder is a combination.”
Infertility is a growing problem worldwide.
According to research, it affects about one in every 6 couples and has been estimated about one in every three cases.
This is due to fertility problems in the male partner alone.
However as per health experts, infertility is not always curable, it can be often enhanced with supplements, a healthy diet, and other lifestyle strategies.
In this blog, I’m going to discuss the important lifestyle factors, supplements, nutrients and foods that have been associated with improved fertility in men.
But first, learn a little bit about male infertility…
What Is Male Infertility?
People’s ability to reproduce by natural means is usually referred to as fertility.
While male infertility refers to a male’s inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female.
It usually depends on the quality of a male’s sperm cells.
Just take a look at the following aspects of semen quality and sexual function that may affect fertility:
Erectile Dysfunction: Also known as impotence, it refers to a condition when a man is unable to develop or maintain an erection.
Libido: In other terms, it’s also known as sex drive, libido basically describes a person’s desire to have sex. Supplements or foods that claim to increase libido are referred to as aphrodisiacs.
Sperm motility: An important function of healthy sperm cells is their capability to swim. Sperm mobility is measured as the percentage of moving sperm cells in a sample of semen.
Count For Sperm: An essential phase of semen quality is the number or concentration of sperm cells in a given amount of semen.
Testosterone levels: Low levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone, may be responsible for infertility in some men.
Infertility can have multiple causes and may depend on genetics, general health, fitness, diseases, and dietary contaminants.
Additionally, a healthy lifestyle and diet are important. Some foods and nutrients are associated with greater fertility benefits than others.
Here are 5 science-backed ways to boost sperm count and increase fertility in men.
Top 5 Tips To Improve Male Fertility
#1: Get Vitamin C
Oxidative stress refers to a situation when levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species) reach harmful levels in the body.
It usually happens when the body’s own antioxidant defenses are trounced because of an unhealthy lifestyle, old age, several diseases or environmental pollutants.
Reactive oxygen species are constantly being produced in the body, but in healthy people, their levels kept in regular check.
Studies show that high levels of ROS promote tissue inflammation and injury, thereby increasing the risk of chronic disease.
Furthermore, there’s some evidence that excessively high levels of ROS and oxidative stress may lead to male infertility.
While intake of high amount of antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, may help counter some of these harmful effects.
Adequate intake of Vitamin C supplements may improve semen quality.
A study in infertile men showed that taking 1,000-mg vitamin C supplements two times in a day up to 2 months increased sperm count by 100% and sperm motility by 92%. Further it also reduced the amount of malformed sperm cells by 55%.
Another observational study suggested that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C 5 times a week for up to 3 months may protect against DNA damage caused by ROS in sperm cells.
Moreover, Vitamin C supplementation in infertile men can also significantly improve mobility and sperm count, while minimizing the numbers of malformed sperm cells.
Taking together, these observational studies suggest that Vitamin C may help improve fertility in men suffering from oxidative stress.
However, controlled studies are required before any sure statements are made.
#2: Do Regular Exercise
Exercising is the best way to stay healthy and get fit. Also, it helps improve physical performance and one’s confidence.
A regular workout may also raise your testosterone levels.
Studies show that men who works out regularly have better semen quality and higher testosterone levels compare to men who are inactive.
However, avoid too much exercise, as it may have an adverse effect and potentially lessen the level of testosterone.
The high amount of Zinc intake can minimize this risk. So, if you don’t have time or exercise of rare workout but want to improve your fertility, then physical activity should be one of your top priorities.
#3: Relax and Minimize Stress
Stress may impair your fertility and reduce your sexual satisfaction.
Researches do believe that the hormone cortisol may explain these adverse effects of stress to a certain extent.
Continued stress increases levels of cortisol, which has sturdy adverse effects on testosterone.
Testosterone levels tend to go down as cortisol goes up.
While unexplained, severe anxiety is usually cured with pills, minor stresses can be lessened by numerous relaxation techniques.
Always remember, stress management can be as simple as exercising, meditating, taking a walk in nature or spending time with friends.
#4: Get Enough Zinc
Zinc, as we all know, it’s an essential mineral found in adequate volumes in foods, such as shellfish, meat, eggs, and fish.
A high amount of Zinc intake seems to be one of the keystones of male fertility.
Studies and researches show that Zinc deficiency is basically associated with poor sperm quality, low testosterone levels and an increased risk of male infertility.
In addition, taking Zinc supplements like TestoGen increases sperm count and testosterone levels on those who are low in Zinc.
Furthermore, according to the observations, Zinc enhancements may reduce the decrease in testosterone levels that are directly linked with excessive amounts of high-intensity exercise.
Skillful trials need to confirm or approve these observational findings.
#5: Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) a pharmaceutical herb that has been used since ancient times in India.
According to the studies, Ashwagandha has the potential to improve male fertility by enhancing testosterone levels.
In a recent study, it was found that men with low sperm cell counts taking 675 mg of Ashwagandha root extract per day for around 3 months significantly improved their fertility.
Precisely, it boosted semen volume by 53%, increased sperm counts by 167% and sperm motility by 57%, compared to the initial studies.
When compared, nominal improvements were detected among those who got a placebo treatment.
Here a notable point is that the increased testosterone levels may be somewhat liable for these benefits.
A research was conducted on 57 young men following a strength-training program. The study showed that consuming 600mg of Ashwagandha root extract per day expressively increased muscle mass, testosterone levels, body’s strength, compared to a placebo.
These aftermentioned researches are supported by observational evidence indicating that the regular intake of Ashwagandha may improve testosterone levels, sperm motility, sperm counts, and antioxidant status
Conclusion
Men around the world are affected by Infertility.
If you’re one of them, then I would suggest you to first focus on improving your health.
The tips or ways mentioned in this blog are the key components and essential for a healthy lifestyle.
Although these are not guaranteed to work, but if you’re suffering from low testosterone levels or nutrient deficiencies, chances are that they may help.