Infertility is a more common problem than you may expect. It affects couples all over the world and from all walks of life, and can cause major problems in your relationship, emotional health, and overall sense of self-worth. Men experience fertility issues, too, although they may be less likely to discuss it openly with others or seek medical treatment. If you suspect that you may have difficulties trying to conceive, or just want to improve your odds of quick conception when the right time does arise, use these easy tools to boost your fertility.
- See an expert. It’s worth pointing out that not every natural solution or lifestyle adjustment made to improve your fertility as a man will necessarily be effective. If you’ve been trying to conceive for a few months without any luck, you should seek out a service like Advanced Fertility Solutions for a thorough assessment and consultation. It’s important to know exactly what the problem is before you can find the best solution.
- Maintain an active sex life. Not only will regular sex increase your odds of conceiving in general, it can also improve the strength and performance of your sperm. While you’ll need to have sex during the ovulation window to make conception happen, regular sex will keep your sperm active and healthy. Long periods of abstinence have been shown to decrease the motility and shape of sperm, while regular sex will improve your chances.
- Consider vitamin supplementation. For some of us, our normal daily diet isn’t enough to provide the high levels of vitamins we need to maintain a healthy level of fertility. While the research isn’t necessarily strong on all of these, if you have the funds available to give them a shot, they may be effective. Consider taking extra vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, maca root powder, and D-aspartic acid to increase sperm motility and improve your reproductive health.
- Get plenty of exercise. Exercise is great for your body and mental health overall, so it’s no surprise that staying physically fit will also improve your fertility as a man. Regular exercise (but not excessive exercise) has been shown to boost testosterone levels and improve sperm health in men.
- Chill out. Stress is pretty bad for you all around, and it can also have a negative impact on your sex life and fertility. Excessive stress causes your body’s cortisol levels to rise, which can then decrease your testosterone. Try making some lifestyle changes to reduce your stress levels – exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, and counselling can all help in this regard. If you don’t have much success, it may be worth checking in with your doctor to find out if there’s a bigger problem at play.
- Avoid soy. Men who often eat soy products like edamame beans, soy milk, vegetarian meat products, and energy bars can sometimes experience an unusually low sperm count. Try switching these products out for non-soy options to increase your changes of conceiving.
- Quit smoking. We all know smoking is terrible for your health, but sometimes it takes an extra kick to give you motivation to quit. Cigarettes decreases both your sperm count and sperm motility, and they can decrease your odds of successful conception when undergoing fertility treatments.