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 is when levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) reach harmful levels in the body.
It happens when the body’s own antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed because of disease, old age, an unhealthy lifestyle or environmental pollutants.
ROS are constantly being produced in the body, but their levels are kept in check in healthy people. High levels of ROS may promote tissue injury and inflammation, increasing the risk of chronic disease.
There is also some evidence that oxidative stress and excessively high levels of ROS may lead to infertility in men.
Adequate intake of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, may help counteract some of these harmful effects. There is also some evidence that vitamin C supplements may improve semen quality.
A study in infertile men showed that taking 1,000-mg vitamin C supplements twice a day for up to two months increased sperm motility by 92% and sperm count by more than 100%. It also reduced the proportion of deformed sperm cells by 55%.
Another observational study in Indian industrial workers suggested that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C five times a week for three months may protect against DNA damage caused by ROS in sperm cells.
Vitamin C supplements also significantly improved sperm count and motility, while reducing the numbers of deformed sperm cells.
Taken together, these findings suggest that vitamin C may help improve fertility in infertile men suffering from oxidative stress.
However, controlled studies are needed before any definite claims can be made.
Bottom Line: Oxidative stress may lead to infertility in men. Some evidence indicates that taking antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C, may improve fertility.
#2: Do Regular Exercise
Exercising not only improves your confidence and physical performance — it may also raise your testosterone levels.
Studies show that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels and better semen quality than men who are inactive.
However, you should avoid too much exercise, as it may have the opposite effect and potentially reduce testosterone levels. Adequate zinc intake can minimize this risk.
If you rarely exercise but want to improve your fertility, becoming more physically active should be one of your top priorities.
Bottom Line: Exercising regularly can boost your testosterone levels and improve your fertility.
#3: Relax and Minimize Stress
Stress may reduce your sexual satisfaction and impair your fertility.
Researchers believe the hormone cortisol may partly explain these adverse effects of stress.
Prolonged stress raises levels of cortisol, which has strong negative effects on testosterone. When cortisol goes up, testosterone levels tend to go down.
While severe, unexplained anxiety is typically treated with medication, milder forms of stress can be alleviated by numerous relaxation techniques.
Stress management can be as simple as taking a walk in nature, meditating, exercising or spending time with friends.
Bottom Line: Stress can reduce sexual satisfaction and fertility. Stress management and relaxation should be high on your agenda.
#4: Get Enough Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral found in high amounts in animal foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, and shellfish.
Adequate zinc intake appears to be one of the cornerstones of male fertility.
Observational studies show that low zinc status or deficiency is associated with low testosterone levels, poor sperm quality and an increased risk of male infertility.
Also, taking zinc supplements increases testosterone levels and sperm count in those who are low in zinc.
Furthermore, zinc supplements may reduce the decrease in testosterone levels that are associated with excessive amounts of high-intensity exercise.
Controlled trials need to confirm these observational findings.
Bottom Line: Taking zinc supplements may increase testosterone levels and improve fertility in men with low zinc status or deficiency.
#5: Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a medicinal herb that has been used in India since ancient times.
Studies suggest that ashwagandha may improve male fertility by boosting testosterone levels.
One study in men with low sperm cell counts showed that taking 675 mg of ashwagandha root extract per day for three months significantly improved fertility.
Specifically, it increased sperm counts by 167%, semen volume by 53% and sperm motility by 57%, compared to the start of the study. In comparison, minimal improvements were detected among those who got a placebo treatment.
Increased testosterone levels may be partly responsible for these benefits.
A study in 57 young men following a strength-training program showed that consuming 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract daily significantly increased testosterone levels, muscle mass, and strength, compared to a placebo.
These researches are supported by observational evidence indicating that ashwagandha supplements may improve sperm counts, sperm motility, antioxidant status, and testosterone levels.
Bottom Line: Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb that may increase testosterone levels and improve male fertility.
Conclusion
Infertility affects many men around the world. If you are one of them, focus first on improving your general health. Many of the tips mentioned in this blog are key components of a healthy lifestyle. None of them are guaranteed to work, but if you suffer from nutrient deficiencies or low testosterone levels, chances are that they may help
The post Male Fertility: 5 Natural Ways To Boost Your Sperm Count appeared first on MaleXPills.
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