Lifestyle Changes for Male Fertility: What Every Man Should Know

Parenthood is a blissful experience and for a couple to achieve that, both man and woman need to come together. Many people forget that male fertility is an important factor, and a woman can’t make a baby without high-quality sperm. So, in today’s blog, we will discuss male fertility and lifestyle changes for male fertility.

Male Fertility: An Overview

In simple words, a man’s ability to impregnate a woman is defined as male fertility. The fertility levels of a man are determined by multiple factors like sperm quality, sperm motility, sperm quantity, etc. So, to boost male fertility is to produce more sperm as well as healthy sperm.

Wondering if there’s a way to improve sperm count and sperm motility without taking any medications? The answer is yes! By making some simple alterations to your lifestyle, you can give your sperm a much-needed boost.

Lifestyle Changes to Improve Male Fertility

As stated already, the lifestyle choices you make play a big role in your reproductive outcomes. These are the main lifestyle factors on male fertility:

1. Eat Nutrient-rich Foods

There is a direct link between male infertility and food habits. So, to produce healthy sperm, a man must eat well. So, what kinds of foods should you consume? Having plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits daily will decrease oxidative stress within your testicles as they are loaded with antioxidants. Fruits and veggies also contain key nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin C, lycopene, and folic acid – all of which are essential for sperm production.

Now let’s talk about the foods that you should avoid because of their negative effects on male fertility. Sugar is one of the biggest culprits that decreases sperm count significantly if you have too much sugar daily. Over-intake of soy products, red meat, processed food, and deep-fried food should also be avoided – whether you have a low sperm count or not. Learn more about diet and fertility.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Besides eating nutritious meals, you should also drink 3-4 liters of water daily as dehydration worsens semen quality and increases the chances of prostate infections. So, to maintain semen volume and sperm quality, keep yourself hydrated. The easiest way of ensuring that your body isn’t dehydrated is by monitoring the color of urine. If it is yellowish, it’s an indicator that you need to increase the fluid intake.

3. Quit Smoking and Drinking

From the moment you start planning a baby, heavy drinking or regular smoking are the two things you must quit. Chronic drinking is dangerous for both men and women as it decreases the production of female/ male reproductive hormones. Additionally, drinking and smoking can severely impact the health and development of the fetus. So, if you want to optimize your sperm health and improve fertility, stay away from tobacco and alcohol.

Read to know: Male infertility treatments

4. Reduce Stress

Did you know that chronic stress disrupts our body’s hormonal balance and therefore, negatively impacts the production of sperm? When you are under stress, the body releases excess cortisol and adrenaline and that leads to a hormonal imbalance. Moreover, stress will make sex less pleasurable for you and your partner. Hence, deal with stress by meditating, practicing mindfulness, and doing yoga. All these have proven benefits for sexual health. Learn more about Stress and Fertility.

5. Exercise Regularly

Studies have revealed that people who exercise for at least 30 minutes a day are more fertile. If you like to exercise, your testosterone levels will naturally increase, and sperm motility will improve. Even mild exercises like jogging can significantly better your sperm health.

Note: While being extremely lazy will affect your sperm health and general health, even too much of a heavy workout can have detrimental effects. Yes, overtraining may lead to less production of testosterone. Again, some exercises can cause physical damage to the vessels and nerves around your testicles.

6. Maintain a Healthy Weight

One of the major lifestyle changes for male fertility is to get back in shape as male obesity negatively affects male fertility. If you have a body mass index of over 30, it means there is an increase in testicular heat and oxidative stress. This will lead to poor-quality semen. To lose some weight quickly, stick to a healthy diet and prioritize exercising.

Learn more: Infertility And Obesity

The Bottom Line

So, now you know what you have to do to help your little swimmers reach your partner’s uterus. Make the above-mentioned positive changes and your sperm quality is bound to improve within a few months.

If you’re still unable to father a child, remember that implantation failure can happen due to a variety of reasons. Hence, it will be better if you and your partner consult an accomplished fertility specialist to address the underlying reasons. Stay hopeful as now there are many kinds of treatment options for both male and female infertility.

Dr Ritu Agarwal

Dr. Ritu Agarwal is an appreciated IVF expert in Jaipur for IVF therapy, owing to her more than ten years of experience in this field. She is the top IVF specialist in Jaipur who makes every attempt to provide correct counseling and emotional support to patients in order to help them find the ideal solution for becoming parents.