10 Ways/Tips To Improve Sperm Quality

A positive attitude and proactive approach for maintaining sexual health may help in enhancing sperm quality. Some measures that can help you improve your fertility are given below:

1. Consume A Balanced Diet
2. Maintain Your Weight In Normal Range
3. Abstain From Smoking And Alcohol
4. Avoid The Usage Of Illicit Drugs
5. Keep Your Stress Levels In Check
6. Reduce Your Caffeine Consumption
7. Be Mindful Of Your Career Choices
8. Take Antioxidant Supplements
9. Perk Up Your Sleep Hygiene
10. Conquer Aging With Sperm Preservation

1. Consume A Balanced Diet

As diet has a significant impact on spermatogenesis, a balanced diet is imperative for the integrity of sperm cells. A healthy diet also improves the quality of semen, its texture, and smell.

The consumption of a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and antioxidants enhances sperm quality. Vegetables and fruits are nutrient-dense and full of minerals. These minerals enable spermatogenesis and reduce the damage to the structure of sperm cells.

Zinc and selenium, for instance, are essential for the protection of DNA in sperm cells. They also improve the motility of sperm and enable them to perform fertilization. Omega-3 fatty acids increase sperm concentration. These are good fats present in olive oil and fish.

• Avoid fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods. Added sugars and sweetened beverages harm sperm count as well as motility.
• Limit the consumption of junk food as it has a liberal amount of fat and processed meat.
• Avoid saturated and trans-fatty acids in the diet. These are present in oils used to make fried chicken and other deep-fried items.
• Enrich your diet with vegetables and fruits. A plant-based diet has abundant antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that boost sperm formation and motility.
• Poultry and low-fat dairy are associated with better sperm parameters and improved male fertility. So, cut back on processed meat and full-fat dairy.

2. Maintain Your Weight In Normal Range

Excessive weight and lack of exercise tends to influence sperm cells negatively. Body mass index (BMI) is the scale that measures body fat relative to the build of a person. BMI is a ratio of weight and height of an individual.

These parameters are important because the sperm quality declines with an increasing BMI.

Overweight and obese men have a high tendency to suffer from fertility problems. They have a greater proportion of sperm cells with anomalous structure and DNA abnormalities. The volume of ejaculate also decreases with a high waist circumference.

Another effect of obesity or excessive weight is low sperm concentration and count. The motility of sperm cells, however, remains unchanged.

Weight also impacts fertility because of its relation to hormonal dysfunction and oxidative stress.

Hormonal Dysfunction

Excessive fat accumulation disturbs the hormone levels in your body. Fat cells, also called adipose tissues, secrete the hormone leptin. Leptin decreases the production of testosterone and impairs spermatogenesis.

Oxidative Stress

Obesity increases the number of reactive species exponentially. More the oxidative stress of these reactive ions, the higher the chances of sperm cells damage. The excessive abnormal sperm cells result in their inability to fertilize the ovum.

3. Abstain From Smoking And Alcohol

Tobacco poses a severe risk to male as well as female fertility levels. Cigarettes contain more than 7,000 chemicals, and most of them increase oxidative stress in the body. Your body has an intrinsic mechanism to neutralize free radicals.

Smokingcauses damage to DNA, structural changes in sperm cells, and low sperm count. The sperm analysis testing in smokers also shows low sperm motility.

The same is true for excessive alcohol consumption, except that alcohol interferes with the hormonal levels instead of directly damaging the sperm. Prolonged alcohol use decreases the secretion of testosterone, which is necessary for spermatogenesis.

Therefore, a healthy lifestyle free from excessive smoking and drinking is essential for good quality sperm.

4. Avoid The Usage Of Illicit Drugs

The occasional use of recreational drugs does not prove harmful. However, regular consumption reduces sperm count and concentration.

Cannabis or marijuana interferes with the production and effects of testosterone on the cells of seminiferous tubules. This blunting of hormonal expression reduces the formation of sperm in the testes.

Similarly, the sperm analysis testing of long-term cocaine users show low sperm motility and count. Sperm structure also compromises because such drugs trigger suicidal pathways in the cells. The sperm cells commit suicide and die, leading to a decline in their concentration.

Considering the massive impact of recreational drugs on the rate of pregnancy and their potential to cause male infertility, they should be kept out of your life.

5. Keep Your Stress Levels In Check

Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation may occur when one is stressed or distracted.

The first step in improving your sexual health is to calm your mind. Stress also disturbs testosterone formation and hinders spermatogenesis.

The male infertility testing also shows compromised parameters in men with poor mental-wellbeing. Work-related anxiety or stressful life events decrease the proportion of typically shaped sperm.

Practicing mediation, exercise, and positive surroundings can prevent this situation and allow you to recover your sexual health.

6. Reduce Your Caffeine Consumption

This may come as a surprise, but caffeine has a mild effect on sperm health. The limited evidence shows that excessive caffeine intake may affect sperm motility. It is wiser to keep your coffee consumption to not more than 3 cups per day.

7. Be Mindful Of Your Career Choices

Occupational hazards like radiations and prolonged sitting tend to cause testicular dysfunction. Laptops kept in the lap for long hours produce heat and raise the temperature of testes.

Professional cyclers may face fertility problems because intense cycling produces excessive testicular heat. It also promotes reactive ions formation and perks up the oxidative stress.

High-performance jobs that demand extraordinary mental strain also increase the possibility of anxiety.

8. Take Antioxidant Supplements

Antioxidant supplementation proves beneficial in enhancing sperm health. Male infertility treatments also include supplementation of vitamin E and C, omega-3, and folic acid. Minerals like zinc and selenium are also abundant in such nutritional additives.

You can get these nutrients from your diet, but their formulations ensure the recommended dosage intake.

A recommended dose of the nutrient is the amount required per day to produce high-quality sperm cells. With supplementation, you can be sure of your adequate intake.

9. Perk Up Your Sleep Hygiene

Sleep deprivation is a major sperm killer. It diminishes sperm count and motility. The research shows that short sleepers are 31% less likely to achieve a pregnancy than those who get adequate sleep daily. To ensure that you sleep well, you need to reduce distractions in your room and work on your sleep hygiene.

Do not consume alcoholic or caffeinated beverages before bed. Achieve an appropriate level of darkness in the room. Get rid of noise sources like TV or radio. Do not use the mobile phone in bed. These steps help you in calming your brain and facilitating sleep onset.

Developing a productive sleep pattern boosts sexual well-being as well as sperm quality.

10. Conquer Aging With Sperm Preservation

The experts emphasize having children early on because aging has a noticeable effect on sperm health. Although there is no exact cut-off value for men, sperm quality and production decline after 30 years.

The research proves that advanced paternal age correlates to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Sperm cells lose their integrity, and abnormal morphology increases in percentage. The progressive motility goes down, and the sperm count becomes low.

Freezing your spermin your peak years is a way to preserve your fertility.