Men are responsible for half of failed conceptions. If you’re looking to increase your odds, increase your sperm count. Conceiving a child is a complicated process. There are many psychological, physiological, and environmental factors that all can affect the success or failure of your pregnancy. Looking at the health of a man’s sperm is crucial in diagnosing difficulties with conception.
There are three properties to look at when evaluating sperm:
- Count: How many swimmers do we have?
- Morphology: Do they have the proper shape?
- Motility: Can they swim forward?
Dr. Louis Guillette from the University of Florida has presented data that shows the sperm count in healthy males has been dropping 1% per year since 1942. How can we reverse this trend and get healthy sperm counts back to normal? Here are some tips to help you get your swimmers healthy and ready to conceive.
- Ditch the cell phone. Recent studies have shown that cell phone radiation has a tremendously negative effect on sperm. Cell phone radiation tested on rats where they were exposed to 1 hour of radiation per day for 28 days exhibited a significantly reduced amount of motile sperm (sperm that can swim forward). If you spend a lot of time in a car keep your phone in the center console. Keep your cell phone on your desk while at work. Minimizing the amount of time your cell phone is in your pockets will decrease the risk of damaging your sperm.
- Stay cool. One reason that testicles are outside of the male body is evolutionary. Sperm count is adversely affected by heat. There are a few ways you can keep cool. Periodic sitz baths can help. Sit in low level of cold water where only the groin area is submerged for 10-15 minutes once per day. Another technique is to place frozen peas or an ice pack in a towel or shirt and ice your genitals for 10-15 minutes once per day.
- Quit Smoking. Apart from a plethora of other health risks, smokers show a lower sperm count from their non-smoking cohorts.
- Exercise. Regular intervals of exercise has been shown to reduce stress. Lower stress levels have been correlated to a high sperm count. Furthermore, lifting weights has been shown to increase testosterone levels which will also have a positive effect on sperm count.
- Dietary supplements. Some studies have shown that minerals like selenium and zinc have had positive results on sperm count. A diet rich in antioxidants and high in protein has also shown to help sperm count.
Unfortunately, most of these methods take time and discipline to work. There is no magic pill to increase sperm count (though supplements such as Proceptin & ProXeed have proven to be beneficial). With some discipline and dedication, you can have vast improvements in your count, morphology, and motility. If you’re looking for professional help, learn more about IVF Orange’s male infertility diagnosis.
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