PT Health Life – Normal sperm count is at least 15 million sperm per ml of semen. If men have less than that number, it is called low sperm count. When there isn’t enough sperm, it can lead to fertility problems and can even cause infertility.
Even with a normal sperm count, they must still be healthy enough to make the journey from the vagina to the cervix and uterus to the fallopian tubes.
When diagnosed with low sperm count, changing your daily lifestyle and diet is one of the simplest methods to increase sperm count .
1. Exercise daily
moderate daily exercise helps improve health. When exercising, the male body will increase the production of the hormone testosterone, which is mainly responsible for the increase in sperm production. However, you should not exercise continuously or exercise too much because when the body exercises too much, it will produce adrenal hormones, reducing testosterone levels .
2. Keep a comfortable spirit
Regular stress can impair sexual function and sperm production in men. When stressed too much, testosterone will be prevented from regulating and the body may stop producing sperm, which in the long term can cause infertility. Therefore, you should try to relax, keep your mind comfortable, and avoid overworking. Besides, even if you are busy, you should try to get enough sleep every day.
3. Supplement foods to help increase sperm count
Doctor. Thao said that busy life causes many people to neglect their daily nutrition regimen. Instead of supplementing essential nutrients to ensure sperm quality such as zinc, iron, selenium, manganese, protein…, men often eat fast food containing too much salt, grease and cholesterol.
In particular, vitamin deficiency in daily meals also reduces sperm quality, leading to a high risk of male infertility . Therefore, men need to pay more attention to their diet to ensure nutritional balance, as well as supplement nutrients to maintain reproductive health in particular and health in general.
– Zinc plays an important role in sperm production and sperm quality. Zinc-rich foods to eat: Oysters, red meat, poultry, shellfish such as shrimp, crab, cereals, milk and dairy products…
– Folic acid and folate are water-soluble forms of vitamin B9, an essential nutrient that helps with cell regeneration and is closely related to sperm health. Foods rich in folate are green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, asparagus, fruits, fruit juices especially orange juice, nuts, cereals, and starchy products such as bread.
– Vitamin B12 helps improve sperm motility, increase sperm count and reduce sperm DNA damage. Foods you should eat include: Fish and seafood, meat and poultry, especially liver, dairy products, eggs, cereals, mushrooms.
– Vitamin C is an antioxidant that plays an important role in fertility, helping to improve sperm motility and morphology. Foods high in vitamin C such as fruits, juices, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, cereals…
– Vitamin D helps improve sperm mobility. Foods rich in vitamin D such as fish oil, salmon, tuna, mackerel, cheese, egg yolks, milk, mushrooms..
– Vitamin E helps improve sperm quality, protecting sperm from damage. Dishes containing a lot of vitamin E include vegetable oils, seeds, beans, and green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach.
– Coenzyme Q10 is also an antioxidant that all living cells need to function, it helps improve sperm quality. Foods containing a lot of Coenzyme Q10 such as meat and poultry, fish, vegetable oils, beans and seeds such as peanuts, sunflower seeds…
– Aspartic acid helps increase sperm density and mobility. Foods that should be eaten include meat and poultry, eggs, milk, dairy foods, cereals, fruits, etc.
– Omega-3 fatty acids help increase sperm quantity and motility. Foods that should be eaten include fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sesame, vegetable oil, eggs, yogurt, etc.
– L-arginine is an amino acid that plays a role in male fertility, helping to promote sperm function and production. But you should use a sufficient amount and not too much because it can reduce sperm motility. Foods high in L-arginine such as meat and poultry, beans, nuts, dairy products…
4. Quit smoking
Studies on smoking and semen quality show that smoking affects sperm health, including sperm count, sperm motility (sperm swimming ability), and sperm shape. .
Therefore, men should consider quitting smoking if they are undergoing fertility treatment. Researchers have found that smoking has a negative impact on the treatment success of couples using IVF .
Men’s smoking habits can also affect women’s fertility. Research has shown that when women are exposed to cigarette smoke, they have lower IVF success rates and may increase their risk of miscarriage .
5. Limit or possibly stop drinking alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can reduce fertility in both men and women. If you’re planning to conceive, this may be a good time to limit or even stop drinking alcohol.
One study of people with alcohol use disorder found that only 12% of men had completely normal sperm count and health, compared with 37% of non-smokers and non-alcoholics.
Drinking more alcohol is associated with lower sperm count, less normally shaped sperm, and poorer sperm motility.
6. Have a weight loss plan if you are overweight or obese
For obese men, losing weight is extremely important to increase fertility. In a new clinical study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark show that obese men improve semen quality if they lose weight.
Over the experimental period, men who lost an average of 16.5 kg increased sperm concentration by 50% and sperm count by 40% within 8 weeks of losing weight. Their semen quality continued to improve for 52 weeks after losing weight.
If they maintained their weight loss after 1 year, their sperm count doubled compared to before losing weight.
7. Treat andrological diseases, if any
Doctor. Nguyen Huu Thao also added that if men suffer from some andrological diseases that can affect sperm quality such as varicocele , undescended testicles… With these diseases, it is necessary to examine and intervene. Intervention by a specialist can help increase sperm quantity and quality.
