Increase Sperm Count with 10 Healthy Habits

There’s no time better to start new healthy routines – for your general body health and to increase sperm count & health. But where do you start?

We’re going to explain what causes infertility in men and have pulled together the top 10 healthy habits for you to increase chances of pregnancy in 2021. We’ve broken down the habits into LIFESTYLE, SUPPLEMENTATION, and FERTILITY. This can help you easily plan your improvements to increase your chances of conceiving.

What causes male infertility?

Impairment of spermatogenesis and defective sperm function are the most prevalent causes of male infertility. Research shows that unhealthy lifestyles affect sperm count, motility, and morphology in a negative way. Exposure to environmental toxins, eating junk food, being overweight and inactive induce oxidative stress in your testicles where sperm in produced. Oxidative stress occurs when the production of potentially destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the body’s own natural antioxidant defense. In the testicles, ROS as a result of unhealthy lifestyle results in Sperm DNA damage and low sperm quality.

You therefore need to increase antioxidants in your body by replacing your unhealthy habits with good ones.  Small changes to your day-to-day routines can have a positive impact on your sperm.

Advice from Dr. Fatin Willendrup, ExSeed Head of Medical Affairs

”It’s important to focus on scientifically proven lifestyle changes that increases sperm quality. Weight management, exercise, nutrition, antioxidants intake and excluding of toxins like smoking must be top priorities both for men and women when trying out for a baby”

Here’s what you should do:

Lifestyle changes to increase sperm count & health

1. Eat more superfoods

Your diet is more important to your general health than you think. Healthy eating induces a high level of antioxidants and thereby improves sperm production. You need to follow a dietary pattern favoring the consumption of seafood, nuts, whole grains, low-fat diary, vegetables and fruits. Cut out junk food, processed meals and red meat.

For some inspiration, start with our Top 20 Fertility Superfoods.

2. Start exercising

In our blog article Improving Male Fertility with Exercise you can read all about the association between sperm quality and exercise.

Weight resistance and cardiovascular exercises are most recommended for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and boosting fertility. You need to get your pulse up and sweat on for better sperm quality!

Try to exercise 45 minutes, 2-3 times a week where you combine cardio training like running with some weightlifting. This has been proven to give the best results. And remember to not overdo it.

3. Kick your smoking habit

The chemicals you expose your body to when smoking cause high levels of oxidative stress. This can lead sperm DNA changes, which have been shown to lower sperm quality and the chances of fertilization. Quitting smoking is most likely the most important positive change you can do to improve sperm health and overall body health. Check out our blog Smoking Affects your Sperm Quality to learn more.

4. Limit your alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption has both detrimental effects on sperm concentration and morphology (shape), and also affects your body’s testosterone production. This can result in fewer healthy sperm being produced.

Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you have to cut out all alcohol.  We recommend you to keep alcohol intake to no more than 14 units per week. For more information on the effects of alcohol on your sperm check out our blog.

5. Relax and think positive

Can a better mindset increase sperm count & health? Well, maybe not directly but your body and mental health have to be in balance. We know that stress is linked to many health conditions and studies show that stress also may be a causal factor in fertility too. You need to figure out what makes you happy and gives you energy. Use more time with your loved ones, exercise, and enjoy your hobbies more.

If you feel that you may suffer from stress, try some simple relaxation techniques like mindfulness, yoga, or deep breathing.

Fertility Supplements to improve your sperm cells

6. Antioxidants multivitamin supplements

Supplementation with micronutrients such as zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and other substances such as DHA, L-carnitine, and Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to be an effective intervention for male fertility. We explain this in our blog Male Fertility Supplements Improve Sperm Quality.

These micronutrients have antioxidant abilities to fight ROS and thereby increase the production and maturation of healthy sperm cells with progressive motility. You need to supplement your diet with a balanced antioxidant male fertility supplement like the ExSeed Multi. If you already do take micronutrients, you need to make sure that Zinc, Selenium, L-carnitine, and Coenzyme Q10 are included.

7. Omega-3 Fatty acids

Sperm cells contain a big amount of omega-3 fatty acids, especially in the membrane. Your body needs Omega-3 fatty acids for normal production and maturation. Add nuts, fish, seafood, and seeds (flax seeds, chia seeds) to your diet as these foods contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.  

To be sure that you get enough omega 3-fatty acids, supplement your diet with ExSeed Omega to ensure a healthy fertility.

Other tips to improve sperm count and health

8. Test and track your sperm quality

You cannot know how good your sperm quality is just by looking at your ejaculate. A sperm analysis is the only way you can evaluate sperm quality. If you’re trying to conceive with your partner, you need to know what your fertility status is. Do that by taking a home sperm test and get results within minutes with ExSeed Health.

There is a normal natural variation in sperm quality over time. Therefore, we recommend that you track your sperm quality over time (two times within 10 days of each other and after that every second month if you are trying to optimize your quality).

9. Keep your genitals cool

Spermatogenesis is a temperature dependent process. This means that overheating of the testicles is a significant factor for impaired fertility.  Normal testicular function has an optimal temperature 2-4°C below body temperature and there is clear evidence of an association between elevated scrotal temperature and reduced semen quality. Keep your testicles cool and avoid heat exposure from tight underwear, warm baths, hot tubs, and mobile phone heat. 

10. Have sex at the right time

In the general population (which covers all ages and includes people with fertility problems), it is estimated that 84% of women will conceive within 1 year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse with a healthy partner. This increases cumulatively to 92% after 2 years and 93% after 3 years. Fertilization happens when sperm cells swim up through the uterus to the egg that has been released (ovulation day). A good rule of thumb is that couples who want to get pregnant should have intercourse every 2-3 days. However, to fully optimize chances of pregnancy, you and your partner need to have vaginal intercourse during the fertile window where the woman is ovulating. Read more on how to track the fertile window here.