Semen Health: How To Produce More Sperm?

• Exercise – Men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels and better semen quality than inactive men. This study from 2017 shows that regular exercise improved the reproductive hormone levels and semen health in obese men.
• Sleep – Getting enough sleep every night is critical for everyone. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts our overall health and this includes sperm, too!
  Research shows that men who get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night have normal amounts of sperm. When we sleep, it is our body’s opportunity to regenerate cells and restore energy.
  So when you’re sleep deprived, your body isn’t likely to produce enough healthy sperm during the spermatogenesis process. 
  An interesting fact to add, is that melatonin has shown to decrease sperm quality. It seems like everyone today takes a melatonin supplement. Melatonin is a hormone produced by our brains to help us sleep. Taking a melatonin supplement sounds like a good idea. But it might do more harm than good for any man trying to catch some Z’s but increase his sperm production.

   

• Vitamin C – A lack of vitamin C is linked to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of oxygen-containing molecules called “free radicals” and antioxidant molecules.
  When there are more free radicals than antioxidants, the free radicals can cause damage to DNA and proteins in the body. This includes messing with sperm health and count.
  Antioxidants are also found naturally in many healthy foods, like citrus fruits. This is why vitamin C is a supplement to consider when wanting to improve sperm count.
• Vitamin D – Many men and women alike are low in vitamin D, especially those who spend a lot of time indoors or live in four-season climates. While being low in vitamin D is very common, vitamin D deficiencies in men can cause higher estradiol levels.
  This causes a reduced production of testosterone levels. Taking vitamin D supplements is beneficial for improving your sperm count.
• Antioxidants – There are more antioxidant supplements to consider adding to your routine! Antioxidants are important because they prevent cell damage. Supplements like CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) significantly improve sperm count. They can be purchased at most health or drugstores. Another antioxidant, L-carnitine, also has positive effects on sperm motility and morphology.
• Zinc –  Never underestimate the power of zinc! Zinc helps in the production of sperm. Zinc deficiency causes testicular failure and cell damage. Rich food sources of zinc include meat, fish, beans, and nuts.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Eating foods rich in omega 3 (like salmon, nuts, and beans) can result in higher antioxidant activity and therefore, better sperm count.
• Destress – Like lack of sleep, high stress levels wreak havoc on the body in ways we can’t even imagine or predict. Prolonged stress raises cortisol levels which in turn, reduces testosterone production. Our bodies go into fight or flight mode when under stress. When this happens, resources in the body are depleted, including sperm production. Finding ways to eliminate stress are not only going to improve sperm count and semen health, but your overall health too. Exercise as mentioned above, helps to de-stress. So does practicing stillness, meditation, and breathwork. These have major benefits on mental health when practiced for just 5 to 10 minutes per day.
• Occupational Functions – Do you work a physically demanding job?
  If so, you may already be producing more sperm naturally! Those who work physically demanding jobs, lift heavy objects regularly, and are on their feet on average have better sperm health. If you are sedentary at work, this means that regular exercise outside of your job is even more important.
• Other supplements – Ever heard of ashwagandha, fenugreek, maca root, or tribulus terrestris? No?
  That’s OK – read on to know more. Each of these unique supplements claim to support male fertility. 
  For example, ashwagandha might improve testosterone levels. Maca root has been used in Peru for centuries to improve libido.

These suggestions are natural and backed up by many studies. However, it is still important to discuss making supplementary changes with your doctor first.