7 Top Tips to Support Male Fertility

In my last blog post, I discussed the main causes of male infertility and how infertility in men is the most overlooked cause of infertility! It is now known that infertility is 50% down to the male’s sperm count and quality. Therefore, when we are looking to maximise your chances of getting pregnant, it is best if we can take into account your partner’s health too.

So here are my 7 top tips to support male fertility to help increase your chances of conceiving. 

1. Limit exposure to xenoestrogens e.g. BPA from plastic. These chemicals, which are prominent in our environment, mimic the hormones and impact both the female and male. For the male, it particularly affects sperm quality and the motility.
   

2. Nutrition. Just as it is important for the female to be eating well to support hormone balance, egg quality and to support the potential growing baby, it is also fundamental for the male to focus on quality nutrition and making sure they are getting the key nutrients in their diet to support sperm quality. Recent studies are showing the importance of vitamin D for fertility in both men and women (1, 2), as well as other key nutrients such as vitamin A, C, D & E, zinc, CoQ10, selenium, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. CoQ10 and selenium are powerful antioxidants, which can help to support sperm production as well as the functionality and the direction in which sperm travel (3).
   
   A systematic review conducted in 2017 showed that a balanced diet rich in antioxidants, certain vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, and low in trans-fatty acids and saturated fats was associated with good sperm quality (4). In particular, Vitamin A could be beneficial in generating healthy sperm (5). Additionally, many other studies have shown positive effects of supplementation of omega-3 on testicular function, sperm concentration, count and motility (6, 7, 8).
   
   Unlike women where they are born with all the eggs for a lifetime, men produce millions of sperm each and every day. However, similarly, it can take both eggs and sperm 3 months to fully mature, therefore, the health of the male’s sperm is influenced by the health choices made 3 months prior to conceiving. With this in mind, it is highly recommended for both partners to implement a 3-month pre-conception nutrition and lifestyle foundation to optimise fertility levels.
   

3. Keep the testes cool.  Avoid hot tubs and saunas – even 1-2 degrees can impact sperm quality and count. Avoid sitting for long periods of time, crossing legs and cycling (no more than 5 hours per week). Don’t keep mobile phones in pockets or laptops on the lap – this exposure to radiation has been shown to reduce morphology, motility, sperm count and the viability of sperm (9, 10).
   

4. Exercise. Like anything, exercise is great in moderation. Both inactivity and excessive exercise can have negative effects on sperm quality (10). An example of excessive would be 2 hours of high intensity workouts 5x days per week or cycling more than 5 hours per week.
   

5. No smoking, alcohol and drugs. Just like with the females, males need to be avoiding smoking, alcohol and drugs as these affect sperm count and quality (10).
   

6. Have sex every second day during the female’s fertile window – this allows the sperm count to build up again. However, do try to include ovulation day as one of these days.
   

7. Avoid ejaculating a couple of days before the female’s fertile window. However, not to leave it longer than a week.

For more posts and information on the topic of fertility and how you can support yours, as well as be the first to know any discounts to programmes, sign up to my free weekly newsletter and follow me on Instagram @jess.kasriel

I look forward to seeing you soon! 

References

(1) Berridge MJ. 2018. ‘Vitamin D deficiency: infertility and neurodevelopmental diseases (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and schizophrenia)’. American Journal Physiology Cell-Physiology, 314(2), C135-C151.

(2) Bosdou JK, Konstantinidou E, Anagnostis P, Kolibianakis EM, Goulis DG. 2019. ‘Vitamin D and Obesity: Two Interacting Players in the Field of Infertility’. Nutrients, 11(7), 1455.

(3) Beygi Z, Forouhari S, Mahmoudi E, Hayat SMG, Nourimand F. 2021. ‘Role of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Supplementation in Male Fertility’. Current Molecular Medicine, 21(4), pp.265-282.

(4) A Salas-Huetos, M Bullo, J Salas-Salvado. 2017. ‘Dietary patterns, foods and nutrients in male fertility parameters and fecundability: a systematic review of observational studies’. Human Reproduction Update, 23(4), pp.371 – 389

(5) CA Hogarth, MD Griswold. 2010. ‘The key role of Vitamin A in spermatogenesis’. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 120(4), pp. 956 – 962

(6) MR Safarinejad. 2011. ‘Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on semen profile and enzymatic antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study’. Andrologia, 43(1), p.38

(7) JC Martinez-Soto, JC Domingo, B Cordobilla, et al. 2016. ‘Dietary supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improves seminal antioxidant status and decreases sperm DNA fragmentation’. Systems Biology in Reproduction Medicine, 62(6), pp.387 – 395

(8) TK Jensen, L Priskorn, SA Holmboe, FL Nassan, AM Andersson, C Dalgård, JH Petersen, JE Chavarro, Niels Jørgensen. 2020. ‘Associations of fish oil supplement use with testicular function in young men’. JAMA Network Open, 3(1), e1919462.

(9) Kesari KK, Agarwal A, Henkel R. 2018. ‘Radiations and male fertility’. Reproductive Biology Endocrinology, 16(1), p.118.

(10) Ilacqua A, Izzo G, Emerenziani GP, Baldari C, Aversa A. 2018. ‘Lifestyle and fertility: the influence of stress and quality of life on male fertility’. Reproductive Biology Endocrinology, 16(1), p.115.