Did you know that nearly 40-50% of infertility cases can be partially or entirely attributed to male factor infertility? But here's the good news: most men keep producing new sperm constantly. Besides, with the right diet habits and lifestyle changes, men can significantly increase their sperm count, and improve their motility, morphology, and overall male fertility.
Understanding Male Factor Infertility
Women usually receive a lot of attention regarding their health and well-being during pregnancy. However, when a couple plans for pregnancy, both men and women must maintain healthy lifestyles. When men focus on improving their health, it directly boosts their fertility, i.e., the ability to get pregnant, and also improves the future health of the baby.
Semen Analysis
A semen analysis test is a common approach to analyzing male fertility. The test collects a range of key data points, of which the major three attributes include:
Sperm Count: It refers to the sperm concentration per milliliter of semen.
Sperm Morphology: It refers to the appearance and shape of sperm.
Sperm Motility: It denotes how well sperm is moving with forward progression.
How to Make Sperm Stronger for Pregnancy?
Follow these tips to improve your sperm health:
Maintain a healthy body weight and a good BMI (body mass index).
Have a healthy diet.
Manage stress, as it decreases sexual function. Yoga and other stress-relieving exercises will help control your stress levels.
Prevent STIs (sexually transmitted infections) like gonorrhoea and chlamydia by using contraceptives (like condoms) and limiting the number of sexual partners.
Exercise regularly to boost your body's powerful antioxidant enzyme levels, which improves sperm count and quality. Staying physically active can address most of your concerns.
How to Increase Sperm Count Through Food?
Most remedies and treatments for reduced sperm count start at home. You can improve your reproductive health by making some lifestyle changes and following the right diet. Here are some diet ideas you should incorporate to boost your fertility:
Consume higher amounts of fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy veggies and legumes (like beans).
Eat foods rich in antioxidants, such as red grapes, cranberries, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, red currants, guava, pears, oranges, papaya, and more. Get enough vitamin C, which is known to boost not only immunity but fertility as well.
Increase your intake of vitamin D-rich foods, as it enhances testosterone levels. Consistently having 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 each day for 1 year can improve your testosterone levels by nearly 25-28%.
Include more zinc-rich foods in your diet, such as meat, eggs, fish, and shellfish. Zinc is one of the significant boosters of male fertility.
Ashwagandha is a good option. It is a medicinal herb used in India for ages. Studies have shown that ashwagandha can improve male fertility by increasing testosterone levels.
Try maca root supplements, which may boost libido, sexual performance, and fertility. Originating in Peru, maca root is a well-known plant food. Including 1.75 grams of maca root powder in your daily diet for 3 months can enhance sperm motility and count.
Avoid the following foods as they can decrease sperm count and motility:
Processed meats (such as salami and hot dogs).
Consuming high amounts of soy products, as they contain phytoestrogens, compounds known to reduce sperm count.
Foods with trans fats (cakes, pies, cookies, frozen pizza, etc.).
High-fat dairy products, such as whole milk.
Foods that have pesticides on them (wash all fruits and vegetables with fruit and vegetable wash before consumption).
Foods packaged with BPA (bisphenol-A), contain xenoestrogens.
How to Increase Sperm Motility?
Certain foods, such as liver, salmon, beef, and oysters, are known to improve sperm motility. Additionally, specific nutrients, including Ashwagandha, Carnitine, Vitamin C, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and CoQ10, have been found to enhance healthy sperm motility.
Furthermore, changing certain lifestyle habits, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and ensuring quality sleep, has been proven to improve sperm movement.
Final Words
In conclusion, follow the above tips to improve your male fertility and sperm count, not only when planning a pregnancy but at all times. Making a few lifestyle and diet changes will have an enormous impact on the quality of your semen and help you and your partner give birth to a healthy baby.
