Improving fertility in order to have a child is not only the responsibility of a woman. Men should also do their part to boost their fertility. After all, a woman needs good healthy sperm for her egg in order to create a beautiful baby.
Here are five simple things that men can do to improve and boost their fertility:
Add fertility-boosting food to your diet
There are certain food that can help improve your fertility. Eating more soft-boiled eggs instead of frying them enables you to acquire the essential amino acids that aid in stimulating the production of sperm. Frying eggs will only make it difficult for you to absorb these vital nutrients.
You can also drink fresh lemon juice. The preferred quantity is half a lemon in one mug of hot water. Lemon speeds up the removal of estrogen by the liver and increases the levels of testosterone. This juice is best drunk on an empty stomach.
Add pomegranate to your diet as well. It increases blood flow throughout the body, including the genitalia, and improves your libido. It also contains polyphenols that improve the health of sperm.
Take fertility-boosting supplements
Fertility experts recommend the daily intake of CoEnzyme Q10 supplements. These supplements energize the mitochondria of your sperm so that they become faster and more energetic swimmers.
Another highly-recommended mineral is zinc. Taking 100 to 200 mg daily of zinc can increase your levels of testosterone, sperm count and motility. Great sources of zinc are organ meats, lean beef, legumes and oysters.
High doses of Vitamin C (2 to 6 grams daily) prevents sperm from sticking and clumping to each other.
The supplement Arginine is actually an amino acid which can help increase sperm count and improve sperm motility. Since this amino acid is found in abundance in the head of sperms, it is believed that arginine can also prevent the production of abnormal sperm.
Other nutrients that can increase your sperm counts are chromium, selenium, copper, essential fatty acids, Vitamin E and the B-complex vitamins, particularly Vitamin B12.
You can also try herbal fertility boosters such as saw palmetto berry, panax ginseng and ginkgo biloba extract.
According to fertility experts, you can expect to see improvements in your fertility within three months of continuously taking the supplements.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise of 45 minutes in duration done five times a week, in combination with the right diet, helps improve fertility. This reduces stress and anxiety which can have a detrimental effect on sperm production and the sperms themselves. However, do not overdo it: too much exercise can ultimately lower sperm count.
One exercise that fertility experts recommend is the Turkish get up, because the intensity workout induces a surge in testosterone levels and increased libido. There are many variations of the Turkish get up which you can find on YouTube.
Keep technology away from your genitalia
Research has noted that temperatures of the scrotum shoot up when you put your mobile phone in your front pocket nearest your crotch and your laptop on your lap. Long-term exposure to both heat and possibly radio waves from these gadgets can harm sperm and thus affect fertility.
While on the subject of heat, fertility experts also do not advise taking long dips in hot tubs or take hot baths. Men are also not recommended to saunas as the heat can affect sperm health.
Studies have not provided conclusive evidence to the old saying that boxers are better than briefs in boosting fertility because it lowers genitalia temperatures.
Make home and lifestyle modifications
First off, cut down on your intake of both coffee and alcohol as they can drastically lower fertility by as much as 60 percent.
Men should also quit smoking as it can damage DNA and reduce the production of sperm. Take note that your second-hand smoke can also have an effect on your wife, in particular impairing the uterus’ receptivity to the egg.
If you are taking any medications, they might be impairing your fertility as well. Good examples of such drugs are the anti-ulcer meds ranitidine and cimetidine which may cause impotence and reduce sperm count.
Last but not least, clear up your home of harmful chemicals that can affect your fertility. Examples of these chemicals include pesticides, herbicides and chlorine.
It is important that all men undergo male fertility screening. Set up an appointment with your doctor today so that he/she can give you a thorough evaluation and provide you with a personalized diagnosis and treatment plan.
