Keeping Your Sperm Healthy

Fertility is an issue that both the man and the woman have to examine.  Many people assume that the issue or problem is one that revolves around the woman, but this is certainly not always the case.  Male fertility problems can also create difficulty when conceiving, and the man needs to have an evaluation done by a general practitioner and then a fertility specialist, if problems are discovered.

Approximately 75% of male fertility problems are due to sperm health.  For this reason, it's very important for men to understand how their diet, exercise and everyday activities influence the health of their sperm.  The more that they can do to prevent problems, the more it will help with fertility issues.

Create Good Habits

Smoking, drinking and drugs all influence sperm in a negative way.  Research has linked smoking to sperm health issues, as smoking causes sperm DNA damage and can lead to birth defects.  Alcohol can lead to impotence, and drugs certainly impact sperm negatively as well.  It's very important to know that sperm take three months in the body to fully develop.  So, if you are trying to conceive, you need to keep this in mind with your behavior and your actions.  To create clean and strong sperm, stop smoking and doing drugs three months prior to trying to conceive.  Limit your drinks to less than two a day.

Balance Your Weight

Your goal with weight and exercise is to keep both within a moderate range and to try to eat and exercise for healthy living.  Researchers have shown that having a BMI that is lower than 20 or higher than 25 can reduce sperm count as much as 22%.  This is a significant finding and one that shows that sperm count is directly linked to your weight.  Exercise regularly and try to stay fit.

Heat and the Sun

The sun has actually been linked in a positive way to testosterone, indicating that you can help to create a healthier sperm count by having some natural exposure to the sun.  However, don't overdo it.  Overheated testicles create a reduced sperm count.  If you've heard the debate in the fertility world about briefs versus boxers, it's not all old-wives tales.  It is actually true that if you wear very tight fitting pants or underwear over long periods of time, you can damage your sperm count.  Similarly, you shouldn't take overly hot baths when trying to conceive.  Finally, don't work with your laptop in your lap.

Stress and Relaxation

Stress affects everyone negatively.  Both men and woman are encouraged to try to reduce stress and to relax more when they are trying to conceive.  Stress certainly impacts sperm count negatively and can also decrease a man's sex drive.  Enjoy exercise, yoga, herbal teas, relaxing music, and any other techniques that will help you to relax and remove stress from your life.

Keep Your Sex Drive in Check

Many people, when trying to conceive, assume that they need to have sex all the time.  This can actually be very stressful on a relationship, and it can have a negative influence on your chances of conceiving.  Research has shown that if a man ejaculates more than twice a day, it can decrease fertility.  The sperm needs to have a chance to regenerate in the body and to produce a decent sperm count for each ejaculation.  At the same time, you do want to have consistent intercourse.  Sperm that isn't ejaculated becomes less fertile and old, and you don't want this to happen when trying to conceive.

These are just a few of the helpful tips to keep your sperm count healthy and to lead to conception.  It is certainly important for both people in the relationship to know that they have a part in the fertility and conception process, and to do everything that they can to work towards conception.  These are not, however, sure fire ways to guarantee conception, and any man who thinks he may have a fertility issue should be seen by a doctor.