How to get healthy sperm for baby
How can I improve my chances of becoming a dad – NHS
It may seem obvious, but you need to have regular sex (2 or 3 times a week) if you want to become a dad.
Having sex around the time your partner ovulates (when an egg is released from the ovary) will increase your chances of conceiving.
Read more about the best time to get pregnant.
There are also a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your chances of becoming a dad.
Sperm temperature
Your testicles are outside your body because, to produce the best quality sperm, they need to be kept cooler than the rest of you (slightly below body temperature).
If you're planning a pregnancy, taking a few simple measures to keep your testicles cool may help. For example, if your job involves working in a hot environment, take regular breaks outside. If you sit still for long periods, get up and move around regularly.
Wearing tight underwear is also thought to increase testicle temperature by up to 1C. Although research has shown that tight underwear does not seem to affect sperm quality, you may want to wear loose-fitting underwear, such as boxer shorts, while trying for a baby.
Smoking
Smoking can reduce fertility, so you should give up smoking if you want to become a dad.
Smoking around a newborn baby also significantly increases their chances of respiratory disease and cot death (sudden infant death syndrome).
A GP will be able to give you advice and treatment to help you quit smoking.
You can also visit the NHS Smokefree website for more help and advice about quitting smoking, or you can call the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday).
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol excessively can affect the quality of sperm. The UK Chief Medical Officers' recommendation is to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, which should be spread evenly over 3 days or more.
One unit of alcohol is the equivalent of half a pint of beer or lager, or a single pub measure (25ml) of spirits. A small glass of wine (125ml) contains 1.5 units of alcohol.
Read more about alcohol support and alcohol units.
Recreational drugs
Some recreational drugs are known to damage sperm quality and reduce male fertility. These include:
- cannabis
- cocaine
- anabolic steroids
You should avoid taking these types of drugs if you're trying for a baby.
Medicines
Some prescription medicines and medicines you buy from a pharmacy can also affect male fertility.
For example, some chemotherapy medicines can affect fertility, either temporarily or permanently.
Long-term use of some antibiotics can also affect both sperm quality and quantity. But these effects are usually reversed 3 months after stopping the medicine.
Speak to a GP, pharmacist or other healthcare professional if you're taking a medicine and you're unsure whether it could affect your fertility.
Diet, weight and exercise
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential for keeping your sperm in good condition.
The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy diet you should:
- eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)
- base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- include some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks and yoghurts)
- eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
Being overweight (having a body mass index above 25) may affect the quality and quantity of your sperm.
If you're overweight and trying for a baby, you should try to lose weight by combining healthy eating with regular exercise.
Stress
Stress can affect your relationship. It can also lower your or your partner's sex drive (libido), which may reduce how often you have sex.
Severe stress may also limit sperm production. So when trying to have a baby, learning to relax and taking steps to reduce the amount of stress in your life will help.
Read more about loss of libido, mental health and wellbeing and breathing exercise for stress.
Getting help
Some people get pregnant quickly, but for others it can take longer. It's a good idea to see a GP if your partner is not pregnant after a year of trying.
Further information
- How can I increase my chances of getting pregnant
- What is preconception care?
- Infertility
Page last reviewed: 15 May 2020
Next review due: 15 May 2023
10 Ways to Boost Male Fertility and Increase Sperm Count
Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Atli Arnarson BSc, PhD on May 18, 2020
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If you and your partner are experiencing fertility issues, know that you’re not alone. Infertility is more common than you might think.
It affects about one in every six couples, and researchers estimate about one in every three cases is due to fertility problems in the male partner alone (1, 2).
While infertility is not always treatable, there are some things you can do to boost your chances of conceiving. Fertility can sometimes be improved with a healthy diet, supplements, and other lifestyle strategies.
This article lists some of the main lifestyle factors, foods, nutrients, and supplements that have been associated with improved fertility in men.
Fertility refers to people’s ability to reproduce without medical assistance.
Male infertility is when a man has a poor chance of making his female partner pregnant. It usually depends on the quality of his sperm cells.
Sometimes infertility is linked to sexual function, and other times it could be linked to semen quality. Here are some examples of each:
- Libido. Otherwise known as sex drive, libido describes a person’s desire to have sex. Foods or supplements that claim to increase libido are called aphrodisiacs.
- Erectile dysfunction. Also known as impotence, erectile dysfunction is when a man is unable to develop or maintain an erection.
- Sperm count. An important aspect of semen quality is the number or concentration of sperm cells in a given amount of semen.
- Sperm motility. An essential function of healthy sperm cells is their ability to swim. Sperm motility is measured as the percentage of moving sperm cells in a sample 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 10 science-backed ways to boost sperm count and increase fertility in men.
D-aspartic acid (D-AA) is a form of aspartic acid, a type of amino acid that’s sold as a dietary supplement.
It should not be confused with L-aspartic acid, which makes up the structure of many proteins and is far more common than D-AA.
D-AA is mainly present in certain glands, such as the testicles, as well as in semen and sperm cells.
Researchers believe that D-AA is implicated in male fertility. In fact, D-AA levels are significantly lower in infertile men than fertile men (3).
This is supported by studies showing that D-AA supplements may increase levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone that plays an essential role in male fertility.
For example, a study in infertile men suggested that taking 2.7 grams of D-AA for 3 months increased their testosterone levels by 30–60% and sperm count and motility by 60–100%.
The number of pregnancies also increased among their partners (4).
Another controlled study in healthy men showed that taking 3 grams of D-AA supplements daily for 2 weeks increased testosterone levels by 42% (5).
However, the evidence is not consistent. Studies in athletes or strength-trained men with normal to high testosterone levels found that D-AA didn’t increase its levels further and even reduced them at high doses (6, 7).
The current evidence indicates that D-AA supplements may improve fertility in men with low testosterone levels, while they don’t consistently provide additional benefits in men with normal to high levels.
More research is needed to investigate the potential long-term risks and benefits of D-AA supplements in humans.
Shop for D-aspartic acid supplements online.
Besides being good for your general health, exercising regularly can boost testosterone levels and improve fertility.
Studies show that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels and better semen quality than inactive men (8, 9, 10).
However, you should avoid too much exercise, as it may have the opposite effect and potentially reduce testosterone levels. Getting the right amount of zinc can minimize this risk (11, 12, 13).
If you rarely exercise but want to improve your fertility, make becoming physically active one of your top priorities.
You’re probably familiar with vitamin C’s ability to boost the immune system.
Some evidence indicates that taking antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C, may improve fertility.
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 (14, 15, 16).
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 (17).
There’s also some evidence that oxidative stress and excessively high levels of ROS may lead to infertility in men (18, 19).
Taking in enough antioxidants, such as vitamin C, may help counteract some of these harmful effects. There’s 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 2 months increased sperm motility by 92% and sperm count by more than 100%. It also reduced the proportion of deformed sperm cells by 55% (20).
Another observational study in Indian industrial workers suggested that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C five times a week for 3 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 (21).
Taken together, these findings suggest that vitamin C may help improve fertility in infertile men with oxidative stress.
However, controlled studies are needed before any definite claims can be made.
It’s hard to get in the mood when you’re feeling stressed, but there might be more to it than not feeling up for sex. Stress may reduce your sexual satisfaction and impair your fertility (22, 23, 24).
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 (25, 26).
While severe, unexplained anxiety is typically treated with medication, milder forms of stress can be reduced with relaxation techniques.
Stress management can be as simple as taking a walk in nature, meditating, exercising, or spending time with friends.
Vitamin D can be important for male and female fertility. It’s another nutrient that may boost testosterone levels.
One observational study showed that vitamin-D-deficient men were more likely to have low testosterone levels (27).
A controlled study in 65 men with low testosterone levels and vitamin D deficiency supported these findings. Taking 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day for 1 year increased their testosterone levels by around 25% (28).
High vitamin D levels are linked to greater sperm motility, but the evidence is inconsistent (29, 30).
Tribulus terrestris, also known as puncture vine, is a medicinal herb frequently used to enhance male fertility.
One study in men with low sperm counts showed that taking 6 grams of tribulus root twice daily for 2 months improved erectile function and libido (31).
While Tribulus terrestris does not raise testosterone levels, research indicates that it may enhance the libido-promoting effects of testosterone (32, 33, 34).
However, further studies are needed to confirm its aphrodisiac properties and evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of supplementing with it.
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a popular culinary and medicinal herb.
One study in 30 men who strength-trained four times a week analyzed the effects of taking 500 mg of fenugreek extract daily.
The men experienced significantly increased testosterone levels, strength, and fat loss, compared with a placebo (35).
Another study in 60 healthy men showed that taking 600 mg of Testofen, a supplement made from fenugreek seed extract and minerals, daily for 6 weeks improved libido, sexual performance, and strength (36).
These findings were confirmed by another, larger study in 120 healthy men. Taking 600 mg of Testofen every day for 3 months improved self-reported erectile function and the frequency of sexual activity.
Also, the supplement significantly increased testosterone levels (37).
Keep in mind that all of these studies examined fenugreek extracts. It’s unlikely that whole fenugreek, which is used in cooking and herbal tea, is as effective.
Zinc is an essential mineral found in high amounts in animal foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, and shellfish.
Getting enough zinc is 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 (38).
Also, taking zinc supplements increases testosterone levels and sperm count in those who are low in zinc (39, 40, 41).
Furthermore, zinc supplements may reduce the decreased testosterone levels that are associated with excessive amounts of high-intensity exercise (12, 13).
Controlled trials need to confirm these observational findings.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a medicinal herb that’s 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 3 months significantly improved fertility.
Specifically, it increased sperm counts by 167%, semen volume by 53%, and sperm motility by 57%, compared with levels at the start of the study.
In comparison, minimal improvements were detected among those who got a placebo treatment (42).
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 with a placebo (43).
These findings are supported by observational evidence indicating that ashwagandha supplements may improve sperm counts, sperm motility, antioxidant status, and testosterone levels (44, 45).
Taking maca root supplements may improve libido, as well as fertility and sexual performance.
Maca root is a popular plant food that originated in central Peru. Traditionally, it has been used for its ability to enhance libido and fertility.
Several studies in men showed that taking 1.5–3 grams of dried maca root for periods of up to 3 months improved self-reported sexual desire or libido (46, 47, 48).
Studies also suggest that maca root may improve sexual performance. In men with mild erectile dysfunction, taking 2.4 grams of dried maca root for 12 weeks slightly improved self-reported erectile function and sexual well-being (49).
Taking 1.75 grams of maca root powder every day for 3 months also increased sperm count and motility in healthy men (50).
These findings have been partly confirmed by reviews, but the researchers noted that the evidence is weak and more research is needed before definite claims can be made (51, 52).
Additionally, maca root doesn’t seem to affect hormone levels. Taking 1.5–3 grams of maca root per day for 3 months had no effects on testosterone or other reproductive hormones in healthy, fertile men (53).
Many things can help boost fertility, but what works for you depends on the cause of your fertility issues.
Also, keep in mind that fertility and libido usually go hand in hand with your general health.
For this reason, anything that improves your overall health is likely to boost your fertility.
Here are 8 additional tips to boost fertility and sperm count/quality:
- Lead a healthy lifestyle. Unhealthy lifestyle practices impair your overall health, including fertility (54).
- Lose excess weight. Carrying extra weight is associated with infertility. If your doctor suspects that weight may be linked to your infertility, discuss weight loss as one of your health goals (55, 56, 57).
- Limit your alcohol intake. Avoid heavy alcohol consumption, as it may reduce testosterone levels and impair semen quality (58, 59).
- Get enough folate. A few studies indicate that a low intake of folate may impair semen quality (60, 61).
- Get adequate sleep. Getting adequate sleep is vital to maintaining your health. Restricted or excessive sleep has also been linked to poor semen quality (62).
- Snack on walnuts. Eating a lot of antioxidant-rich foods, such as walnuts, seems to benefit fertility (63).
- Consider supplements. Antioxidant supplements also seem to work. Some evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 improves semen quality (64, 65).
- Avoid eating too much soy. Soy is rich in isoflavones, which are associated with lower semen quality (66).
Infertility is fairly common and affects many men worldwide.
If you’re having fertility issues, one thing you can do is focus on improving your general health. Many of the tips mentioned above are key components of a healthy lifestyle.
There’s no guaranteed fix, but if nutrient deficiencies or low testosterone levels are contributing factors, chances are that these lifestyle tips may help.
LetsGetChecked
How to improve the quality of sperm and restore health before conception?
Widely expanded, but absolutely pardoning, there is a thought about those who are diagnosed without a diagnosis more importantly among the representatives of the beautiful half of the people.
In fact, in 50 and more cases of clinical depression before conception is the result of the presence of a number of pathologies in a person, middle infections, damage to the vascular system and others.
However, in 9 cases out of 10, the reason for the inability of a person to conception is the low quality of the reproductive material. The reasons can be different: low friability of spermatozoa or small quantity.
In such situations, the relevance of nutrition about those, how to improve the morphology of sperm and restore health before conception, becomes important. Learn different methods, which will help you to solve the problem in the shortest terms, and the medical faculties of the clinic "Medical Plaza" will help you to choose the most appropriate options for therapy, depending on the specifics of the clinical type.
VIKOVI FACTORI
Regardless of those that vibrating sperm is carried out until a person reaches the age of 80 and more years, the quality of the reproductive material increases with the hour.
In times of illness and pathology, a person saves health from conception to old age, and then a child appears in the world who suffers from illness, the development of which is afflicted with chromosomal abnormalities, which is great. Obviously, about those, how to increase the activity of spermatozoa and the quality of sperm in general, it is recommended to study in a larger early age.
Before a person reaches the middle age, the fragility of spermatozoa and their number for the help of sustenance of various therapeutic approaches, changing the way of life can be done in three months. If the patient is older, then more than an hour is needed for the renewal of the reproductive system. To the very same, first of all, try the best ways, save and vitamins, which increase the quality of sperm, the facsimiles of our medical center to instruct the patient on the passage of medical obstezhennia.
PLUS AND MINUS TRIM
It is not uncommon for families to bet that they are planning a nation of children, to chirp about food about those who can get sperm for help and help from intimate stosunkiv on an insignificant term.
Tsej sposіb dosit extensions in pobutі і є verpravdanim. However, it is important to follow the current rules.
Persh nizh zamislyuvatisya about those, like polіpshit yakіst sperm for help utrimannya, it is recommended to pay respect to the thought of fahivtsiv. So, according to the results of the investigations, the optimal term of the loss is not to blame for becoming more than 2 - 4 decibels.
If the term is smaller, the obligation to the reproductive material may be insufficient for conception. However, the present vagity is still possible, as if the act would be carried out without interruption during the period of ovulation. In case of a greater loss of life, the quality of the reproductive material is worsened, which also changes the fertility of conception.
DIET FOR INCREASING SPERM VOLUME
Couples who plan to conceive children need to know in advance about those who produce sperm. For the promotion of the quality of biological material, it is important to add herbs to the diet, the warehouse of which is enriched with offensive speeches necessary for the body:
- zinc;
- beta-carotene;
- vitamins group C, E, D;
- calcium;
- Omega 3 fatty acids - this element is especially important for increasing the quality and quantity of sperm.
To increase fertility before conception, it is recommended to add food to the daily diet, so as to improve sperm: Add them to the diet on a regular basis at least once a day.
To provide the body with supplemental elements, it is also recommended to live in a hedgehog a small amount of hairy peas and natural soy sauce. Tim, who thinks about those, how to enrich sperm for conception for help to maintain a balanced diet, it is recommended to exercise respect, so that in order to achieve a positive result, it is necessary to consume the opposite regimen of eating for at least three to five days.
Healthy OSIB LIVITTY
YAKSHO for a bet is relevant about those about those, yak half the yakist I kilkiy, it is important to animate respect for a number of rules, it is instructed to be dual:
- Important re -heater negative impact on the quality of the biological material. Not recommended.
- For people who are concerned about those who show signs of semen, it is especially important to be concerned about the introduction of narcotic drugs, tyutyun, alcohol.
- It is important to eliminate stress, nervous strain. Negative emotional camp to repair the negative impact on the quality of sperm.
- It is recommended to grow red meat, it is better to choose ribeye, birds and other varieties. This aspect is especially important for those who are concerned about the methods, how to improve the friability of spermatozoa.
- A non-acidic hedgehog is not less irritating for the body, lowering more factors. It is important to normalize the mode of eating, turn off the menu of conservation, marinade, savory preparation, fast food.
Also, take as much fat as possible from the wild and dewy trip, including butter, tops, margarine. For the preparation of їzhi, it is better to use vicorist olive oil, a storehouse of riches of a great number of brown microelements. - If there is evidence of excess body mass, it is recommended to reduce the weight to the accepted standards. There is a large number of gaining kilograms to create a negative impact on the reproductive function of the human body. Before that, as a supplement to the sperm for the help of stosuvanny therapeutic approaches and preparations, it is recommended to use the superfluous mass of the body.
Before setting up the diet “like a healthy spermatozoa”, you should take care to achieve a healthy way of life, after a stretch of at least three to five months. The mines of the Termіniv for the voynita vita to organism is shortage.
I will be recommended, I am an important to the ejaculation of Cholovіk, ShO for the Assumption swimming of eggs, sulfur, sulfur, sulfuric podoleshi, sulfuric With a low quality of sperm, spermatozoa may have low rukhovo activity, which reduces the chances of conception.
How to increase them and how to increase spermatozoa? It is recommended to pay attention to a number of offensive rules: - After the completion of the statute act, the sperm becomes redundant, part of it oozes out, which can interfere with the results of conception. In order to get ahead of it, women are recommended to be left in a horizontal position with a minimum stretch of a year.
- Ownness is important. To increase the chances of success in conception, it is recommended to take an intimate position two to three days before the date of pre-ovulation. Whose term is sufficient enough to increase the amount of sperm.
- Posture for an hour of steaming in general, do not rob anyone of the result, so that conception has come. However, if a woman has anatomical features, among them, for example, uterine folds, when choosing a position, follow the doctor's recommendations.
Then, with the right approach, the methods of obtaining sperm, allow you to increase the reproductive health of a person and significantly increase the chances of conception.
It is important to remember that in the presence of serious problems, one can only get involved with them for the help of fahivtsiv. We ask you to our center "Medical Plaza" for a consultation and, if necessary, for a course of treatment!
Zabludovsky video
Memo to future dads: how to plan a child correctly
Important rules from the young father's course
You may have guessed by now that conceiving a healthy child is more than just enjoying sexual intercourse. Ideally, men need to prepare for conception at least three months in advance. That is how long it takes sperm to mature.
Spermatozoa are very sensitive to harmful external influences. To increase the chances of fertilization and to ensure that a healthy sperm reaches the egg at the right time, a number of rules must be followed.
1. Forget smoking and alcohol.
It would seem that everything goes without saying. But not all future popes follow this obvious taboo.
Few of them think that the effect of alcohol on spermatozoa can be very serious.
Under the influence of alcohol, the composition of the seminal fluid changes, the concentration of actively motile spermatozoa decreases, while the proportion of abnormal spermatozoa increases, blood circulation in the genital organs is disturbed, and the condition of the testes worsens. The risk of fertilization of the egg by a sperm with an incorrect structure increases - and as a result, the child may be born with genetic abnormalities.
Smoking worsens the condition of small blood vessels, which has a particularly strong effect on the nutrition of spermatozoa during maturation.
2. Go to an andrologist.
Do this even if you are married and healthy for a long time. In men, sexually transmitted diseases are most often asymptomatic. Tests for men planning pregnancy include tests for chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, human papillomavirus, etc.
Don't be intimidated by complex names and a long list - most infections are detected with a single test. But even if you have to do some research, it's worth it.
A spermatozoon affected by some viruses can fertilize an egg and infect the fetus already at the initial stage. In addition, the infection reduces the chances of fertilization: they cause inflammation, blockage of the seminal canal and other symptoms leading to infertility.
3. Submit a spermogram.
Any doctor will tell you that sperm health does not depend on the quantity of sperm, but on its quality. Spermogram will determine:
- How many active spermatozoa are in your ejaculate. The normal value is 20-100 million.
- How many motile spermatozoa. A good analysis is 60-70% of active cells, and the remaining 30-40% are sedentary and immobile. Today, a good indicator is considered to be half of the mobile ones. But you will be surprised: not all patients who considered themselves healthy even have half.
- How quickly semen becomes liquid. Healthy sperm grows already in a woman's body, 10-30 minutes after ejaculation. In this form, it is easier for germ cells to overcome the barriers of the female body and reach the egg.
4. Be careful with drugs and chemicals.
Do not underestimate the effect of antibiotics on sperm.
Antibiotics are expected to increase sperm DNA fragmentation, which reduces the chances of conception and increases the woman's chance of spontaneous abortion. Most antibiotics (for example, amoxicillin and cephalexin) make a man infertile for almost a month: after 10 days, fragmentation reaches a maximum, and decreases slightly by the end of the month. However, full recovery after a course of antibiotics can take up to several months.
Therefore, if you are thinking about a child and have to take antimicrobial agents, check with your doctor about the effect of antibiotics on sperm and how long after the end of the course you can plan to conceive.
Men who are undergoing chemotherapy will have to give up conception for a while. The substances that make up the drugs have a destructive effect on sperm cells.
The same applies to toxic substances that healthy people also encounter - gasoline, chlorine, varnishes, paints, etc. If your work involves the constant inhalation of toxic fumes, prioritize correctly. Also, if you actively participated in the repair, then please note that the quality of sperm may deteriorate.
5. Do not overheat.
The optimal temperature for testicles is 35 degrees. Therefore, they are outside, not inside, like the female reproductive organs. If you are planning to conceive, do not overheat the scrotum, because even with a slight increase in temperature, the spermatozoa in the testicles die.
Do not go to the sauna or wear tight synthetic underwear for three months. Even if you have had a cold with a fever, it is better to postpone conception for at least two months.
