When it comes to pregnancy and fertility, guys know that back in the day, men had just one job when it came to making babies; let the little men flow and do their thing. But these days things are different. Men and women are having kids later in life and there are studies coming out now that tell us women are not the only ones having to worry about autism and other birth related problems due to the advanced age of the parents. And the older you get, the harder it may be to provide the super sperm you once never even thought about. If you’re young and having trouble getting pregnant, of course there may be some deeper fertility problems going on, but don’t go running to the doctor so fast. Try some of the suggestions we are discussing here.
For the fellas, if you think you are having fertility issues, there are a lot of things you can do to boost your sperm count before engaging in expensive and time consuming fertility treatments. Check it out:
1. If you can handle it stop smoking cigarettes and marijuana and stop drinking. The weed has been known to reduce sperm count in certain studies, cigarette smoking is just pointless and dumb and not good for anything, and over indulging in alcohol has been shown to reduce zinc levels.
2. Eat foods that are high in zinc. Zinc deficiency is known to decrease sperm quality. We always recommend getting your vitamins and minerals from food, but take a high quality supplement if you need to. Here is a list of foods rich in zinc:
- Seafood, namely oysters. I’m getting crazy hungry just thinking about it because I haven’t had oysters in a long time. Man, I miss them. Also, you will be happy to know that crab and lobster run a close second.
- Beef and Lamb. I don’t go there but 3-4 times a year, and even then I just don’t feel good about myself. Stick with the plants if you can.
- Wheat Germ. I don’t go there either because we keep our house gluten free. But it is supposedly good for your sperm. Supposedly contributes to greater ejaculation volume.
- Spinach. Now we’re talking. Eat it raw, cook it, juice it.
- Pumpkin and Squash Seeds. More awesomeness, I could eat these all day.
- Nuts. Love them. Cashews are the highest in zinc and great for making raw food cream sauces and deserts. We love us some cashews.
- Cacao and Chocolate. Hell yea!
- Pork and Chicken. Gross.
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- Flax seeds. We use them to make delicious raw crackers.
3. Keep em’ cool and loose. Some studies suggest constricting the testicles could affect fertility. A great excuse to not wear tighty whities, if you have mistakenly made that error in the first place. Wear boxers or boxer briefs, that goes without saying, and your lady will love you more anyway. Also, studies have suggested that exposing your little friends to high heat could affect fertility. So no hot tubs for awhile. And don’t put your laptop on your lap; more heat. And while we’re at it, don’t put a cell phone in your front pocket either. Some studies say it can have a negative affect on your sperm.
So no alcohol, no hot tubs, no weed and no cell phones in the pocket. There goes your chance at being a famous rapper. Still want kids? Read on.
4. This goes without saying across the board; keep your weight down and exercise. Thats right up there with not smoking cigarettes.
5. Have sex, a lot, but don’t use WD40 or anything like that for lube. That could be a problem.
6. Eat organic to avoid pesticides, and stay away from toxic solvents and glues. And don’t sniff glue, thats probably bad for sperm.
7. Take supplements.
Okay, so lets get down to the supplements, which is what we have all been waiting for right? Supplements should by no means replace an active healthy diet full of nutrient rich vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and grains. Some studies have shown that supplements do little to enhance fertility. But other say it can help a lot. And if you do take the supplements listed below, there will be a three month waiting period while the weak sperm grow into super sperm. Here is what I have found from extensive research and what, I think, has actually worked for me.
- Zinc – at the top of the list. If you don’t like to eat a lot of the foods we listed above then take a good quality supplement.
- L-carnitine – in healthy sperm there are high concentrations of the amino acid l-carnitine. WebMD talks about l-carnitine and male fertility. Also check lef.com for more info on l-carnitine.
- L-arginine – an amino acid that studies say increase sperm count and mobility. Check natural-fertility-info.com and menfertility.com for discussions on why l-arginine may be good for your sperm. Because it is mostly found in animal products, the supplement may be needed by vegetarians.
- Selenium – helps to reduce birth defects and may increase sperm count.
- Antioxidants – essential in all aspects of health.
- Omega 3 – in animal studies, Omega 3’s were shown to increase sperm.
- Vitamin C – high in antioxidants.
- Folic Acid – combining with zinc may help to increase sperm count much more than just taking one or the other.
So there you have it fellas, lots of great information on building up your little men to do the job they need to do. We love to do everything the natural way first, through a healthy diet consisting of mostly plant-based nutrient-rich whole food, exercise, and by staying calm and stress-free through meditation and yoga. But if you are a healthy individual that lives like us and you find you are having problems with fertility, try the supplements. And if you don’t find that supplements provide results after a few months, go see a doctor. We wish you the best.
