Are male fertility supplements actually worth it? We think so! Here we’ll explore the key nutrients you need for sperm production and explain why supplements can be extremely helpful, when taken alongside a healthy, balanced diet.
Key Vitamins That Support Male Fertility
Before you can understand which fertility supplements will be most helpful for you, it’s important to learn about some of the most powerful micronutrients that can make a difference to your sperm health.
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most important nutrients for male fertility. Research has found a link between sperm quality and the zinc concentration within semen samples. Men who are struggling to conceive often have low levels of zinc. The nutrient helps to support healthy sperm production, so it’s unsurprising that a deficiency can impact sperm count, morphology and motility.
Recommended daily allowance for men – 11 milligrams.
You can find Zinc in foods like:
- Oysters
- Beef
- Crab
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pork
- Turkey
- Shrimp
- Lentils
Vitamin C
We often connect Vitamin C with boost our immune system (which it definitely can!) but it can also have a powerful impact on our fertility. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress in our body and protects our sperm cells from damage. Oxidative stress is responsible for 30% to 80% of male subfertility issues, so it’s definitely something you want to avoid! You can read more about oxidative stress here.
Recommended daily allowance – 90 milligrams a day.
You can find Vitamin C in foods like:
- Red peppers
- Citrus fruits and juices, like oranges and grapefruits
- Kiwifruit
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Brussels sprouts
Vitamin E
Another great antioxidant is Vitamin E, which has been shown to protect the sperm membrane from damage caused by free-radicals. When we protect the sperm cell from damage we not only reduce the risk of pregnancy complications but we can also improve mitochondrial activity in sperm, which means they have more energy!
Recommended daily allowance for men – 15 milligrams
You can find Vitamin E in foods like:
- Nuts and seeds, like sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts
- Vegetable oils, including wheat germ, sunflower and safflower oils
- Green leafy vegetables, like spinach and broccoli
Selenium
Selenium is another nutrient that your swimmers seem to love. Studies have shown that men with subfertility tend to have lower levels of selenium in their blood and it has been linked to healthy sperm production. However, some experts indicate that too much selenium can be a bad thing for your fertility, so that is worth considering before you go overboard!
Recommended daily allowance – 55 micrograms.
You can find Selenium in foods like:
- Brazil nuts
- Fish and seafood, like tuna, halibut, sardines and shrimp
- Ham
- Beef
- Poultry, like turkey and chicken
- Cottage cheese
- Rice
L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is a chemical made in the body from the amino acids, and is needed to release energy from fat. It transports fatty acids into mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells – including sperm cells! L-Carnitine is a very well studied supplement that has been shown to improve sperm motility.
Recommended daily allowance – around 2000 micrograms!
You can find L-Carnitine in foods like:
- Beef
- Poultry, like turkey and chicken
- Milk
- Cheese
- Asparagus
Omega 3s
Omega-3s fatty acids are one of the most important antioxidants for protecting your sperm health. They are the “good” fat your body needs, but cannot produce on its own. There are 3 types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and you need all of them to support your overall health and fertility.
Omega 3 doesn’t have an official RDA, but aiming for around 1,600 mg for men a day is a good marker.
You can find Omega-3 in foods like:
- Oily fish
- Seaweed
- Flax Seed
- Chia Seeds
- Cod Liver Oil
So, Do I Need To Take Fertility Supplements?
When it comes to getting the nutrients you need to support your health and fertility – you should always start by focusing on whole foods, like the ones listed above. There is no magic pill or supplement that will give you all the vitamins you need if you are still eating an unhealthy diet.
However, sometimes it can be hard to get our recommended daily amount of certain nutrients every single day.
We are living in a world where soil is less nutrient dense than it used to be, so it’s becoming harder and harder to get the amount of nutrients we need from foods that were once bursting with vitamins.
Similarly, our busy lives mean we can’t always plan out every meal to perfectly match up to our recommended daily allowances. The pressure to track and measure out every single food you are eating is overwhelming at the best of times – let alone if you are on a fertility journey!
There are also diets that might mean we are getting less exposure to certain nutrients, even if we are eating healthily. For example, vegans sometimes struggle to get enough selenium in their diet.
Fertility supplements can be a great way of getting the targeted nutrients you need for your sperm health – but they should be used to supplement a healthy diet, not replace it – the clue is in the name!
Benefits of Fertility Supplements Compared To Other Supplements
If you want to take supplements to support your sperm health, it’s best to take ones that have been created with fertility in mind – like our ExSeed Multi or Omega 3. There are a few benefits to doing this:
Trusted Formulations
These supplements have been formulated by fertility specialists who have spent years researching sperm health. They will know what combination of micronutrients has the biggest impact on sperm health and will ensure that there are no hidden ingredients that could have a detrimental effect on your swimmers.
Exact Dosage Worked Out For You!
Recommended Daily Allowances can be confusing at the best of times, but if you are trying for a baby it might be that you need more than your RDA in certain micronutrients. Good fertility supplements will have worked out the perfect dose for each vitamin or mineral, so you know you’re getting an effective boost and not just spending money for the sake of it.
Save Time and Money
Speaking of money, the list of vitamins needed for fertility is long and if you bought all of these individually you’d spend a fortune and would probably spend hours researching and comparing the best ones. Not to mention it would make your bathroom cabinet look like a pharmacy!
ExSeed Supplements contain all of the Micronutrients mentioned in this article and have been created by our specialists with your sperm health in mind. You can learn more and join our monthly subscription to save time and money by scrolling to the bottom of the page and signing up + you’ll receive 10% off your first order!
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