✔Morning sex = higher sperm count✅

If you are trying to conceive, time intercourse when his sperm count is at its highest.  Researchers have found that men generally have a higher sperm count in the mornings.  Men’s sexual interest may be higher in the mornings as well. 

✔His weight matters✅

Women are not the only ones who have weight related fertility issues.  Men who are overweight or underweight are more likely to have problems with infertility.  Having too much or too little body fat may affect a man’s hormone levels.   Scientists in one Finnish study found that a 20 lb weight gain may increase a man’s chance of being infertile by 10 percent.

✔Have more sex not less✅  

Men with low sperm counts are often advised to abstain from sex in order to improve their sperm count, but new research suggests that while this may improve sperm count, too much abstinence can damage the DNA of the sperm that is produced.  Australian researchers have found that having daily sex actually improves the quality, if not the quantity of sperm.  The thought behind this is that regular ejaculations get rid of the old sperm and make way for newer healthier sperm.

✔Folic acid is not only good for the goose, but it is also good for the gander✅

Most women know that taking a folic acid supplement is important during childbearing years because it can prevent certain birth defects.  You may not have known that it is also important for men to eat a diet containing folic acid.  A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Berkley found that men who had lower levels of folic acid (or folate) in their diets had a higher rate of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm.

✔Avoid soy products✅

A recent study published by Oxford University Press’s online publication Human Reproduction, suggests that eating a diet high in soy foods could cause men to have a lower sperm count.  According to the study, men who ate soy foods were more likely to have lower sperm counts (although not necessarily abnormally low) than men who did not eat soy.

✔Skip the lubricants✅

Lubricants can impede the movement of sperm.  A woman’s cervical mucous is designed to help transport sperm, but many commercial lubricants have the opposite effect.  Lubricants like KY Jelly, baby oil, or petroleum jelly have been shown to slow down or damage sperm.  Saliva can also damage sperm.   One lubricant that is okay to use is Pre-seed.  According to one study in the ASRM’s journal of Fertility and Sterility, Pre-seed, Conceive Plus, and Yes Baby was not shown to harm or slow down sperm.

✔Watch out for cell phones and laptops✅

There have been a few studies that have shown that excessive use of laptops or cell phones can cause sperm damage.  Laptops, if placed on a man’s lap, get hot over time.  The increase in scrotal temperature may have a negative effect on a man’s sperm if he keeps a laptop sitting on his lap for extended periods of time.  Similarly, cell phone emissions might also cause sperm damage.  Keeping a cell phone in a close proximity to a man’s scrotum could potentially cause a decrease in sperm quality, according to a small research study from the Cleveland Clinic.

✔Supplements to increase count✅

Zinc supplementation (100 to 200 mg daily) has been shown to increase testosterone levels, sperm count and sperm motility.

Selenium- Selenium is necessary for the creation of sperm. In studies, men with low sperm counts have also been found to have low levels of selenium.

CoQ10 - Necessary for every cell in the body for energy production, CoQ10 is an important antioxidant that helps to protect cells from free radical damage, thus protecting DNA: it is necessary for sperm motility in semen. Additionally, studies have shown that CoQ10 can increase sperm health.

Vitamin E- Vitamin E has been shown in studies to improve sperm health and motility in men. Studies have also shown a diet deficient in Vitamin E to be a cause of infertility in rats. The meaning of the name for vitamin E ‘Tocopherol’ literally means to bear young. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant to help protect sperm and egg DNA integrity.

Folic acid – New research suggests that folic acid can boost sperm health. Men with low levels of folate had increased risks for sperm that contained too little or too many chromosomes. If an egg is fertilized by an abnormal sperm it could result in a birth defect such as downs syndrome, or an increased chance of miscarriage.

Vitamin B12 – Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is involved in cellular replication and studies indicate a deficiency can lead to reduced sperm count and motility. Supplementation is advised for any man whose sperm count is less than 20 million or has a motility rate of less than 50%. Studies indicate that supplementation with vitamin B12 at 1,000mcg per day may increase sperm count.

Vitamin C – For men, vitamin C has been shown to improve sperm quality and protect sperm from DNA damage; helping to reduce the chance of miscarriage and chromosomal problems. Vitamin C also appears to keep sperm from clumping together, making them more motile.

L-Carnitine – Carnitine is a necessary nutrient for sperm cells to function normally. Sperm require high concentrations of carnitine for energy metabolism. Studies indicate that the level of free carnitine in seminal fluid directly correlates with sperm count and motility. The lower the concentrations of carnitine in the seminal fluid, the lower the sperm count. Research shows that supplementing with L-carnitine for a minimum of 4 months helps to increase sperm count and motility in men with low sperm count and quality. Carnitine and CoQ10 have been shown to work synergistically when combined.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants are one of the most important components to having healthy fertility that every man and women needs to focus on. Antioxidants help to protect the sperm from free radical damage. Free radicals are able to damage both sperm cell health and the cell’s DNA. The DNA of both partners is the future blueprint for a child. Damaged DNA is known to cause miscarriages, birth defects, and/or developmental problems for the future child. Studies have also shown a connection between oxidative stress caused from free radicals and male infertility.

Other nutrients that have been shown to improve sperm counts include essential fatty acids (9 to 12 grams daily), chromium (1,000 mcg daily), selenium (200 mcg daily), copper (2 mg daily), vitamin E (800 IU daily), coenzyme Q10 (400 mg daily) and B-complex vitamins (50 mg daily), especially vitamin B12 (1,000 mcg daily).