How to improve sperm quality, diet, lifestyle and supplements

What causes male infertility?

Many different things can cause male infertility. A common cause is poor-quality semen. This may be due to a low sperm count, with very little or even no sperm found in the semen, poor sperm morphology, where abnormally shaped sperm find it harder to move or fertilise an egg, or issues with sperm motility, where they don’t move properly and can’t swim to the egg. 

Lifestyle factors can also impact your sperm quality. Smoking can reduce ejaculate volume and sperm production, as well as damage your sperm’s DNA, leading to issues with sperm motility or morphology. 

Some lifestyle factors impact the hormones responsible for sperm production. Alcohol can lower the levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone, which all play an important role in controlling your reproductive system. Obesity can also impact the levels of these hormones, leading to infertility. The same also goes for anabolic steroid use — steroids work by mimicking testosterone, leading to decreased testosterone production and impacting sperm production. 

Stress too can impact your hormones, with prolonged stress disrupting testosterone production and impacting sperm development, leading to a low sperm count and problems with sperm motility. In some men, their testosterone levels are abnormally low due to a condition called hypogonadism.

Another potential cause of male infertility is damage to your testicles. Infections, congenital defects, surgery and injuries can all affect sperm quality and quantity.
 

What are the signs of male infertility?

The main sign of male infertility is difficulty conceiving after a year of unprotected sex. Generally, around 80% of people conceive within a year if they have frequent unprotected sex, and of those who do not, about half will conceive in the following year. If you have persistent issues with conception, it’s a good idea to see a specialist to uncover what the cause may be, rather than self-diagnosing.

Alongside this, you might also notice other signs related to your hormones or issues with your testicles. These could be problems with sexual function, like difficulty ejaculating or reduced ejaculate volume, a lower libido or erectile dysfunction, or a reduced sperm count. If infertility is linked to problems with your testicles, you might notice pain, swelling, or lumps in your testicles. 

Signs of low testosterone include fatigue, decreased beard and body hair growth, weight gain, poor memory and focus, and depression.

How to improve male fertility

If you’re concerned about your fertility, there are a number of actionable steps you can easily take to help boost your fertility. A key factor is your diet and nutrition. The food you eat can have an impact on both your hormones and your sperm quality. By following a diet high in grains, fruit, vegetables and fertility-boosting nutrients, you can help to improve your fertility.

As well as improving your overall health and wellbeing, trying to reduce or stop unhealthy habits can help improve your fertility too. In addition to increasing your intake of fertility-boosting foods and nutrients, you should aim to have a healthy, balanced diet that avoids too much fatty or sugary food. This, coupled with regular exercise, can help you lose weight, improving both your general health and your fertility. Stopping smoking and trying to reduce your alcohol intake will do the same — you’ll feel the benefits in both your day-to-day wellbeing and your reproductive health.

While it’s not always easy in our hectic modern lives, taking steps to manage stress can help improve your fertility too. Try practising mindfulness, giving yourself the time and space to think and relax, spending time with friends, exercising regularly and taking steps to reduce workplace stress where you can.

Reducing heat around your testicles can also help improve your fertility. Wearing loose, cool underwear and keeping yourself generally cooler in warm weather can have a positive impact on your fertility.

What’s the best diet for male fertility?

Rather than having a low carbohydrate diet, a diet rich in low glycaemic index carbohydrates or good carbohydrates, and high in fibre, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help improve male fertility. These foods are rich in antioxidants, which can help repair DNA damage and reduce oxidative stress in sperm. Oxidative stress can lead to protein, lipid and DNA damage in sperm, resulting in issues with motility. By eating foods high in antioxidants, you can help protect your sperm from damage due to oxidative stress, helping with fertility.

Leafy greens, like spinach, broccoli and peas, are rich in folate. Folate is a nutrient that plays an important role in DNA synthesis, and eating foods high in it can help improve the quality of your sperm.

Nuts are another good food to include in your diet to help with your fertility. They’re high in micronutrients, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. These nutrients help support normal sperm development, motility and morphology, all essential for male fertility. Omega-3, an essential fatty acid, is found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, and plays an important role in improving both sperm count and motility.

Lean meats, especially red meats like lean beef, are important for supporting male fertility as they are high in zinc. It’s been identified that low levels of zinc in your diet can lead to decreased sperm quality and male infertility.

While there are lots of foods you can increase to help boost your fertility, there are also some others you should try to avoid. Some key foods to steer clear of are highly processed foods and meats. These are associated with reduced sperm count and motility, especially processed foods high in fat and sugar. Instead, try to replace processed meats with lean options lower in fat, and swap sugary snacks for fruits and vegetables.

It’s not just what we eat that can affect male fertility — it’s what we drink too. Regular alcohol consumption can interfere with key hormones needed for sperm production, which can lead to a reduced sperm count. And while you might often want a morning pick-me-up, caffeinated drinks have been linked to DNA fragmentation in sperm, which can affect conception. While these don’t need to be completely avoided, they should be enjoyed in moderation.

Which vitamins and supplements can help male fertility?

Various vitamins and nutrients, found both in our diet and in supplements, can help with male fertility by supporting hormone production, sperm generation and antioxidant protection. Zinc is one of these nutrients, with it playing an integral role in promoting normal sperm production, sperm morphology and motility, and sperm count. As well as increasing the amount of zinc-rich foods in your diet, zinc supplements can be found in pharmacies and health food shops.

Folate, or vitamin B9, is another important vitamin for male fertility. It’s used by the body to synthesise DNA, and it supports sperm production by ensuring they have healthy DNA, reducing the number of abnormalities that can reduce fertility and improving sperm count and motility. Leafy greens are high in folate, and it’s also found as both standalone supplements and in combined male fertility supplements.

Other important vitamins include vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that protects sperm from DNA damage, helping to improve sperm count, motility and morphology, and vitamin D, which also helps maintain normal testosterone production. 

Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in oily fish, as well as being a popular supplement for general health. It has wide-ranging health benefits across the body, including in male fertility, where it supports both your sperm count and sperm motility.

A lesser-known mineral that plays an important role in male fertility is selenium. Like many other nutrients, it’s an important antioxidant that keeps tissues in your body healthy by preventing cell damage, including cells involved in male fertility. Selenium supplements are available, but it’s important to be aware of the upper limit of 400mcg a day. Before starting high-dose supplements, it’s best to talk to a healthcare professional to make sure these are right for you. 

Instead, try to incorporate foods containing selenium into your diet — a handful of Brazil nuts every few days is an easier way to get your selenium requirement without having to worry about having too much of it. 

If you’re concerned about your fertility, supplements may be something to consider. However, it’s important that you discuss taking these with a healthcare professional before incorporating them into your diet. And remember, while supplements can help, they’re not a replacement for a healthy, balanced diet. 

Does alcohol affect male fertility?

Yes, heavy alcohol consumption can have an impact on male fertility. Excessive drinking can reduce your levels of testosterone, which in turn leads to reductions in both the quality and quantity of your sperm. Alongside impacting your hormones, heavy drinking can also damage the cells involved in sperm production and prevent your testes from working properly. This impairs sperm production, leading to issues with motility that prevent your sperm from reaching the egg.

How can you improve sperm quality and count?

A low sperm count is defined as having fewer than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen, which can make conception much more difficult. As well as sperm count, sperm quality also impacts your fertility, which is affected by sperm motility and morphology. Sperm motility is how well your sperm are able to move towards the egg, and morphology is the shape of your sperm and affects how well they can fertilise the egg once they reach it.

With various factors affecting it, there are simple steps you can take to increase your sperm count and sperm quality. Diet is a key factor here. Eating more leafy greens, nuts and omega-3 rich foods like oily fish can have a positive impact on both your sperm count and quality. Lean meats that are rich in zinc can also support a healthy sperm count and increase the quality of your sperm. As well as getting these from your diet, you may want to consider supplements if recommended by a healthcare professional.

Cutting out bad habits can help improve your sperm count and sperm quality too. Quitting smoking can help boost your sperm count, motility and morphology, and protect your sperm from DNA damage. Avoiding excess drinking is another step you can take, which will ensure your testosterone production is normal. 

Alongside a healthy diet, regular exercise can help you lose weight and support healthy male fertility. Not only will this have a general positive impact on your overall health, but it will also help support normal testosterone production, boosting your sperm count.

It’s important to remember that these steps won’t affect your fertility straight away. Sperm production takes between 70 and 90 days, so it may take a few months for these changes to have a noticeable impact on your sperm count.

When should you seek help for male fertility?

Generally, if you have struggled to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected sex, you should see an expert to try and find the cause. Some people have known risk factors, like genetic and congenital factors, which can also affect their fertility. In this case, it’s worth seeing an expert sooner.

A recommended first step would be to have a sperm count test or semen analysis. Using a sample of your semen, this test looks at the amount of sperm produced, your sperm count, your sperm morphology and sperm motility. Using the results from this, your consultant will be able to identify any potential issues with your sperm and recommend the right next steps for you, whether those are lifestyle changes or fertility treatments.

At Lister Fertility Clinic, we offer a wide range of services to support men’s fertility investigations and treatments. As well as semen tests, we also offer hormone level tests to check your testosterone levels, and genetic tests to rule out any inherited causes of male infertility.

If a cause has been identified, our consultants provide a wide range of treatments for male infertility, and will ensure your treatment is right for you. These range from drug therapies and lifestyle recommendations through to retrieving sperm directly from your testicles and identifying and isolating your most viable sperm.