You’ve probably heard the buzz in the news lately about sperm counts drastically decreasing globally. You’re worried and you want to do whatever you can make sure that your sperm quality isn’t affected by this trend. Whether you’re actively trying to conceive, or just trying to stay healthy, it’s important to maximize the quality and quantity of your sperm.
We get a lot of questions from the YO community such as:
“How can I make my sperm stronger naturally?”
“How can I improve my sperm quality with the right food and diet?”
“What are your recommendations on how to improve the motility of my sperm so it can get where its going?”
You’re most likely to be fertile if at least 40% of your sperm are moving. You may have heard that a healthy diet, exercise, and cutting back on alcohol are common ways to improve your fertility. We’re here to provide you with the less-commonly known ways to keep your sperm alive and thriving. Get ready! some may even shock you.
This post doesn’t replace your doctor, but it does offer 6 valuable and natural ways to improve the quality of your sperm.
So let’s get going sperm!
6 outlandish ways to achieve healthy sperm
1. Sleep naked
You may have read that heat can kill sperm, so it’s best to keep your male parts as cool as possible, even when you’re asleep.
Here are a few ways you can stay cool at night:
- Crank up the air conditioner
- Avoid briefs or jockey underwear
- Stay out of the hot tub to keep your boys swimming
- And of course, sleep as nature made you, or in loose cotton PJs
As Mayo Clinic puts it, limiting scrotum exposure to warm objects…might enhance sperm quality.
2. Have lots of sex
You may think you need save your sperm and ejaculate less often to increase chances of getting your partner pregnant.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Not only does having sex more often increase the chances of impregnation, but “The number of sperm increases with delay in ejaculation, but the accumulated sperms are a hazard of being morphed genetically and quality-wise,” says BeingTheParent.Com.
This and other recent studies have proven that ‘saving it’ won’t save your chance of getting the job done. So have fun!
3. But please, avoid lubricants during sex
Although scientists aren’t in absolute agreement about this one, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Store-bought lubricants are synthetic and the chemicals they’re made of can’t possibly be good for your sperm.
Additional studies are needed to show the exact effect, but research has shown that harmful chemicals kill sperm so why risk it? If you still feel the need to lubricate, try a natural oil.
4. Swallow cloves of garlic
Garlic intake has proven to boost the immune system because of its high levels of Vitamin B6 and C. This can also prevent damage to the sperm and promote a healthy reproductive system.
You don’t have to swallow entire cloves but consuming an average of 3 cloves daily will increase do the trick, as shown here.
5. Increase your Vitamin E intake
“Over 90 percent of male factor infertility is caused by sperm abnormalities,” say specialists.
Consuming the right nutrients, like Vitamin E and antioxidants can help, since this combination is known to prevent the cell damage that creates sperm abnormalities.
Keeping these nutrient levels high will lead to stronger and faster swimmers coupled with a happier immune system.
Foods rich in Vitamin E include almonds, spinach, sweet potatoes and avocado, while antioxidant-rich foods include berries, dark chocolate, and kidney beans.
6. Lastly, cut down on stress
We know, everyone tells you to stop stressing. But you may not have realized that stress may be impacting your fertility- high-stress levels are linked to reduced semen quality.
A Columbia University study showed that stress lowers levels of testosterone and sperm production. Therefore, managing stress is critical to baby-making.
One way to kill two birds with a stone is to exercise more. Working out is known to reduce stress and even improve the production of antioxidant enzymes.
Other ways to control stress levels are a healthy diet, meditation, and sleeping more.