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Why you should take a male fertility test

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We use Advanced AI to translate our blog content. If the translation isn’t perfect, or if you have any queries about the content, our medical team is readily available to answer. Simply email [email protected]

Have you taken a male fertility test? For a lot of guys, it’s a thought that doesn’t cross their mind. It’s easy to assume everything is in top shape, and that if the time to have kids ever comes, everything will be fine.

The sad truth is, around 1 in 6 heterosexual couples struggle with infertility, and research indicates that at least 40% of infertility cases are down to issues with the guy. There aren’t often signs or symptoms to clue you in on your sperm health, so the only way to know and potentially make some positive changes is through a fertility test. A male fertility test also comes with a lot of benefits…

Can give you peace of mind

It’s always good to keep an eye on your health and wellbeing, and for many people that includes their fertility health! If you’re planning to have a family in the future, are already trying, or would simply like the choice, a male fertility test may be the only way to give you proper peace of mind. 

It’s also good to avoid future disappointment, as heading down the path of trying to conceive only to find out you’re going to struggle a lot can be very difficult to deal with emotionally. It can be helpful to know what state your fertility health is in firsthand, so you can prepare for whatever issues will come.

Can give you time to make changes

Believe it or not, a lot of fertility issues can be helped through lifestyle changes! 

Your testes can go through a lot of trauma that harms your sperm production. Excessive heat, overeating, emotional stress, a lack of fitness, smoking – all common habits or risks in modern life, and can all lead to subfertility or infertility.

Sperm regenerates every 72 days, so lifestyle changes can positively impact the sperm produced in the next cycle. So if your sperm has been damaged by smoking or heat trauma, there’s evidence to show these issues aren’t always permanent. Analysis of your sperm can help you understand the changes you need to take to get your next batch of swimmers in good shape. Diet is another huge factor in sperm health. We all know that it’s easier and more sustainable to make healthy changes over a period of time rather than hitting a crash diet or cutting out certain foods you love overnight. Understanding your sperm health through a male fertility test can give you a longer lead time to improve your lifestyle, rather than panicking that you aren’t getting pregnant and trying to do a mass overhaul all in one go. 

When you take the ExSeed male fertility test, we not only give you a medical grade semen analysis, but  tailored advice on how you can improve your sperm health too! 

Can help you feel more confident talking to doctors

In the healthcare process there’s often a big focus on female fertility, sometimes entirely ignoring male fertility. Not only is this pretty unfair to the women in the equation but it also can cause men to go without medical and emotional support. Getting a male fertility test can give you helpful knowledge about what’s happening in your own body. 

If you go to the doctors or fertility clinic armed with knowledge about your sperm health, it can help you guide the conversation and make sure you’re getting the medical and emotional support you need. 

Can save time and stress

If you start trying for a baby, it can take a while to realise something may be wrong. Couples may try for months, even years, before looking for medical help. This doesn’t just waste time – trying and failing for so long can be very emotionally draining. A simple test beforehand or at an earlier stage can avoid that, and give you the information you need to make informed decisions before trying to conceive.

Can save money 

We see a lot of couples that go through expensive assistive fertility treatments without even getting a male fertility test! There’s a lot of misinformation out there which can lead to couples being drawn into thinking that assisted fertility is the best or only option , or simply being misled. A male fertility test can, in some cases, negate the need for assisted fertility treatments or can at least give you an idea of which treatment has the best chance of being effective – saving you time and stress, as well as money.

Can tell you about your wider health

It’s not just fertility issues that your semen analysis can flag. Your reproductive system plays a big role in your health as a whole. A sperm analysis can give you an idea about what’s going on in your entire body – and a poor result can be an indicator of other issues, both mild and severe. 

From low testosterone to certain cancers, a male fertility test can be an indicator of underlying issues. In a world where we track our sleep, activity and calories, why not have another health marker in the mix? 

Why men sometimes don’t want to take a male fertility test

There’s a lot of reasons men sometimes don’t want to take a male fertility test: embarrassment, lack of time, denial, fear of a negative result, or simply not thinking it’s necessary.

A lot of it may come from the stereotype of an awkward trip to a male fertility clinic for a date with a plastic cup. But embarrassment shouldn’t get in the way of your health, and the good news is that this isn’t the only route to getting your fertility checked.

Benefits of an at-home test

That’s right, you can test your sperm from the comfort of your own home! With an ExSeed sperm test kit, it’s easier than ever to test male fertility.

Anxious about going to a male clinic? No need, you can test at home. In need of advice or support after a test? We aim to provide you with detailed results that are easy to understand and information to help you improve your lifestyle and sperm health. Check out our article “The Benefits Of At Home Sperm Testing” to find out more.

 

When it comes down to it, male reproductive health isn’t something to ignore. Save time, money, and stress by taking control of your own health and wellbeing and getting a male fertility test.

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Wearing tight pants and underwear

Studies show that men who wear looser underwear have higher sperm concentration and total sperm count compared to men who wear tighter underwear. So, lose the tight clothes and wear something loose to give your testicles some air.

CONCLUSION: learn more about how heat can affect sperm quality here.

Stress

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.

Physical activity

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.

Nutrition

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.

Sugary snacks/beverages: several times a week Excessive consumption of high sugar items can lead to oxidative stress, which negatively impacts testosterone levels and sperm motility. Sugary snacks and beverages are also highly associated with obesity and low fertility.
CONCLUSION: To boost sperm quality, stay away from fast food, processed food, and sugary snacks or beverages. You need to implement a healthy prudent diet filled with necessary superfoods needed for good sperm production. Check out our guide to Male Fertility Superfoods. For personalized guidance and support on how you can start improving your sperm health, check out the Bootcamp.

Heat

Direct heat can inhibit optimal sperm production and cause Sperm DNA damage. Sperm cells like environments that are a couple of degrees lower than body temperature. Avoid overheating from warm blankets, seat warmers, heat from your laptop, hot showers, and saunas.

Cigarette smoking

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.  

CONCLUSION: Stay as far away from cigarette smoking as possible if you care about your general health and your fertility. Read more here.

Cell phone

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.

BMI

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.  

Alcohol

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.

CONCLUSION: If you want to stay safe, stay under 14 units of alcohol per week. For more information on how alcohol can affect male fertility, take a look at our blog: “Alcohol and Sperm Quality”.

Age

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.