Whether you’re trying to conceive now or are planning sometime in the future, it’s a good idea to boost the sperm quality in order to increase chances of pregnancy. Remember that your reproductive health is also firmly linked to your general health!
If you don’t know much about fertility and how to get pregnant with your partner – don’t worry! Many of us lack the knowledge that can help us on our fertility journey. The following is our personalized fertility guideline for you.
A sperm test is crucial for evaluating male fertility potential. Knowing sperm volume, count, and motility is important if you’re trying to conceive with your partner. An abnormal sperm quality may also indicate an underlying health condition. Even though it only takes one sperm cell and one egg to get pregnant, more healthy sperm cells will increase your chances of pregnancy each month. Even if you aren’t trying to conceive, your sperm quality can be an important measure of overall health.
The following are the healthy or normal semen analysis results, as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since results can vary from person to person, they are given as a range.
You may want to consider an assessment by your GP to make sure there are no serious underlying causes of this. If your semen quality was in the moderate to optimal range, this is great. You may still want to look at how your lifestyle and supplementation can assist you on your fertility journey.
We can offer you a discount of 10% (discount code ExSeed10) on our home sperm test.
If you want a detailed overview of how the individual questions impact fertility, see “How your lifestyle affects fertility” at the bottom of the page (section 4). You can boost your fertility with the ExSeed Bootcamp – our individualized online fertility program
You can also check out our specially tailored male fertility supplements
Supplementation with vitamins and minerals can boost sperm production and help you increase your sperm quality. Clinical studies show very positive effects of antioxidants on sperm concentration and motility leading to increased pregnancy success.
We recommend a multivitamin together with a good quality fish oil and an antioxidant like Coenzyme Q10. This will ensure that you get the important nutrients.
For an easy and price friendly option, see our combination pack or our individual products.
On the Exseed blog you can find all the necessary information on male fertility supplements:
With an age under 40, you shouldn’t have to worry about age as a factor in itself.
There is a clear association between obesity and reduced sperm quality.
Processed foods damage the health of sperm-producing cells and cause oxidative stress, which leads to poorer sperm quality.
Besides higher mortality rate and various diseases, stress is associated with low sperm quality.
Scientific studies show that men who are physically active have better semen parameters than men who are inactive.
Direct heat can inhibit optimal sperm production and cause Sperm DNA damage.
When you have your cell phone in your front pocket, your testicles are exposed to electromagnetic radiation, which studies have shown to damage the sperm cells.
Studies show that men who wear looser underwear have higher sperm concentration and total sperm count compared to men who wear tighter underwear.
Scientific studies show that men who are physically active have better semen parameters than men who are inactive
A beer or glass of wine now and then do not really harm sperm quality - but excessive drinking does.
Sign up for the latest fertility advice & exclusive offers
At ExSeed Health we’re male reproductive health experts on a mission to address the 40% of all infertility that’s male related but currently remains largely neglected across the globe. While our IVD CE-Certified home tests provide a detailed indication of sperm health, and our lifestyle programs are intended to help improve overall health and chances of conceiving, our products and services should not be considered medical diagnosis or treatment of any disease or condition, and they are not intended to be a substitute for medical care by licensed healthcare practitioners.
ExSeed Health Limited, 6 Hookers Road, C/O Yonder Office, London, England, E17 6DP – Company number: 11002717
Studies show that women younger than 35 and men younger than 40 have a better chance of getting pregnant. Men can produce sperm cells almost through their entire life, but the sperm cell DNA is more fragile and prone to damage after the age of 40.
As men age, their testes tend to get smaller and softer resulting in a decline in sperm quality and production. These changes are partly because of an age-related decrease in testosterone level, which plays a very important role in sperm
production. Higher male age (>40 years) is not only associated with a decline in sperm production but also with increased sperm DNA fragmentation and worsened morphology (shape) and motility (movement). These negative effects make the sperm cells less qualified for egg fertilization.
CONCLUSION: with an age under 40, you shouldn’t have to worry much about age as a factor in itself. However, studies have shown a slow decline after the age of 30-35 years
and if you are above 40 years of age, your sperm quality can be affected due to increased sperm DNA damage resulting in a decrease of sperm motility and concentration. Remember that you cannot evaluate the quality of a sperm sample by just looking at it – this requires a sperm analysis.
There is a clear association between obesity and reduced sperm quality. At least part of the reason for this is that obese men may have abnormal reproductive hormonal profiles, which can impair sperm production and lead to infertility.
A BMI higher than 30 can lead to several processes in the body (overheating, increase in oxidative stress in the testes, sperm DNA damage, erectile dysfunction) that can have a negative impact on male fertility. This can result in problems when trying to conceive.
CONCLUSION: BMI is one of the risk factors that influence semen quality and, for example, sperm motility.
Fast Food
Processed foods damage the health of sperm-producing cells and cause oxidative stress, which lead to poorer sperm quality. Heavy consumption of junk food (every week) can increase the likelihood of infertility since men who consume vast amounts of unhealthy food are at risk of having poor sperm quality. Besides harming your fertility, junk food enlarges your waistline, harms your cardiovascular system, kidneys, and more.
Vegetables
Eating more fruit and vegetables can increase your sperm concentration and motility. It’s important that you consume a healthy diet filled with antioxidants and that you eat vegetables every day. Foods such as apricots and red bell peppers are high in vitamin A, which improves male fertility by nurturing healthier sperm. Men who are deficient in this vitamin tend to have slow and sluggish sperm.
Besides higher mortality rate and various diseases, stress is associated with low sperm quality. Stress is known to be associated with lower testosterone levels and oxidative stress with both playing an essential role in producing and maintaining healthy sperm cells.
CONCLUSION: If you feel stressed, we recommend you get some help so you can have a balanced mental health. For a stress management guide, download the ExSeed app for free and start your personalized action plan today.
Scientific studies show that men who are physically active have better semen parameters than men who are inactive. Fertility specialists also state that regular physical activity has beneficial impact on sperm fertility parameters and such a lifestyle can enhance the fertility status of men.
Prioritizing exercise can help improve your overall health and result in healthy, fast swimming sperm cells that have good chances of fertilizing an egg.
CONCLUSION: Try incorporating exercise in your weekly schedule to you ensure exercising at least twice weekly. We recommend a combination of cardio training and strength exercise. Read more about exercise and male fertility on our blog.
When you have your cell phone in your front pocket, your testicles are exposed to electromagnetic radiation, which studies have shown to damage the sperm cells. Put your phone in the back pocket of your pants or in your jacket pocket.
CONCLUSION: learn more about how heat can affect sperm quality here.
The exposure to tobacco smoke has significant negative effects on semen quality. The damage of cigarettes and nicotine of course depends on how many cigarettes you smoke per day and for how long, but even low usage (up to 10 cigarettes / day) can inhibit healthy sperm production.
A beer or glass of wine now and then do not really harm sperm quality. But excess alcohol drinking (more than 20 units per week) can reduce the production of normally formed sperm needed for a successful pregnancy.