8 tips to keep your sperm healthy
One-third of men face infertility problems. The main reason is an unhealthy lifestyle. Read our tips to keep your sperm in a good shape.
Avoid junk food
Keeping your diet healthy, full of proteins and carbohydrates, is essential for your sperm to live in good condition. Research concludes that when men eat fatty, unhealthy food, their sperm lose the ability to move vigorously towards the ovarian tube.
Food items that are rich in processed grains and red meat impair sperm motility. Avoid all the junk food and try to include fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fish that contain natural antioxidants in your diet. It provides the building blocks for healthy sperm.Exercise regularly
A man’s sperm quality directly correlates to his fitness. Studies have proved that men who exercise regularly have higher sperm concentration and being overweight or underweight affects male fertility.
No outdoor activity, watching television for long hours, and skipping meals are some key factors that compromise sperm quality. However, excessive exercise and steroids are also not good for sperms. Women also need to keep a check on their weight in order to conceive.Quit binge drinking and smoking
Drinking too much alcohol regularly can lower the level of testosterone. Altered levels of reproductive hormones can cause difficulty in conceiving. Besides, it can also cause problems in normal body functions like growth, development and metabolism. Consumption of alcohol in large proportions can lead to azoospermia, a condition for no sperm cells in semen.
Smoking increases the chances of erectile dysfunction in men and complications in pregnancy for women. Smoking can affect the genetic material in sperm and eggs and result in the birth of underweight babies. Giving up smoking can help you increase your fertility. Pregnant women exposed to second-hand smoke can also cause harm to the unborn baby.Keep it cool down there!
Ideally, for normal sperm production, the temperature of your scrotum should be three to four degrees lower than the rest of your body. If the temperature goes higher, its side effects could be drastic.
Wearing tight underwear traps heat near the testicles. Wear clean, loose clothes around your private parts. Avoid too much direct exposure to sauna, hot tubs, warm blankets or any heat emitting gadgets such as laptops, cell phones.
Beat the stress
Constant stress could be an additional risk factor leading to infertility in men. There is no evidence that stress alone causes infertility but its effects on the autonomous nerve function can affect sperm volume. Stress is also a contributing factor to anxiety and low self-esteem during sex, resulting in lower sex drive.
When in need, consult a doctor
Couples are diagnosed with fertility all the time but it remains a taboo subject. If you are not able to conceive or face any problem during climax, you must see a doctor. Do not believe in myths.There are various chronic diseases and infections (including STDs) that affect your fertility.
Infertility could be due to many reasons: health, psychology, social factors etc. It is important to treat it under the guidance of an expert. Your treatment could depend on your age, how long have you been infertile and other aspects.Get proper sleep
Sleep disturbances or irregular and insufficient sleep alters male libido and disturbs the circadian rhythm of reproductive hormones. A study conducted in Copenhagen, among 953 Danish men concluded that sleeping erratically could lead to 20 to 30 per cent decrease in sperm concentration.
Say no to drugs
Many synthetic drugs (legal or illegal) are harmful to your semen. Some prescribed medicines also have negative side effects. Supplemental testosterone can change the rate of sperm production. Anabolic steroids are unsafe as well.
Prolonged use of marijuana, stimulants like cocaine, MDMA, or even methamphetamine lead to low sperm count. Some other drugs that you need to stay away from are alpha blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors etc.
To get more information on various drugs that are harmful to male fertility, click here!
Do you want to add to our list of tips to keep your sperm healthy? Do share your ideas or suggestions via comments or Facebook.
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Recent Comments (31)
Ready 2 Follow All Advises Bt
Ready 2 Follow All Advises Bt Many Do’s Are On Ma Side Bt I Still Need More Science Bcoz I Need 2 Perfect Ma R/ship.I Shud Nt not Make Give Ma Partner Stress
My sperm is yellowish in…
My sperm is yellowish in color is it healthy like that?
Hi Ken, semen can have a…
Hi Ken, semen can have a yellowish color if it mixes with urine during ejaculation or it may be a sign of an infection especially if the semen has a different smell and ejaculation is accompanied by pain. It is normal to occasionally ejaculate semen with a yellowish color, however if the color is a dark yellow, pink or red and has the signs of an infection mentioned earlier then one needs to seek medical attention. Check out the following article;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/our-bodies/male-body/semen-top-five-facts
what are the effects of…
what are the effects of masturbation on sperm production
Hello John, thank you for…
Hello John, thank you for reaching out to us. There is no medical evidence that masturbation has an effect on sperm production. However, having repeated orgasms from masturbation could cause your body to use up all of it’s fresh semen and sperm. So an orgasm that occurs after repeated orgasms might be dry. This should not cause alarm as it remedies after a few hours of rest.
Can dry orgasms cause…
Can dry orgasms cause infertility??
Hi Joel, thank you for…
Hi Joel, thank you for getting in touch and asking a great question. What do you mean when you say ‘dry orgasms’? Is it that you are not able to ejaculate at all, yet you still experience a climax?
I have these problems ;my…
I have these problems ;my dick doesn’t seem to be growing even now at old age, my dick doesn’t turn on(erect strongly) and the
Hello Otieno Bryan, thank…
Hello Otieno Bryan, thank you for reaching out and sharing. Starting around age 50 (often earlier among smokers and, or, diabetics), erections change. In some men, the process is gradual, in others, it happens more quickly. Either way, older men lose the ability to raise erections solely from sexual fantasies. Direct fondling of the penis becomes necessary. When erections appear, they rise more slowly and do not become as firm as they were during men’s thirties and forties. And minor distractions may cause wilting—the doorbell or an ambulance siren. These changes alarm many men, who jump to the conclusion that they must have ED. If you can still raise erection during masturbation, you don’t. What you have is erection dissatisfaction. Post-50 erection changes are normal and inevitable. But some lifestyle factors can postpone or even temporarily reverse them: falling madly in love, getting in shape, and making love earlier in the day when you have more energy. Unfortunately, other factors exacerbate erection dissatisfaction: anxiety, alcohol, many other drugs, relationship problems, and making love when fatigued—late at night after a long day and a big dinner with wine. Anxiety is particularly pernicious. It triggers the fight-or-flight reflex that sends blood away from the central body, including the penis, and out to the limbs for self-defence or escape. Less blood in the central body means less blood available for erection. Erection dissatisfaction is upsetting, but try to accept it. It’s normal. And when men become anxious about it, erections become less likely. Good ways to minimise anxiety: a hot shower before sex, and during lovemaking, deep meditative breathing, a slow pace, sensual touch all over—which is the kind of sex most women say they prefer.
Lastly, here are a couple of important points to keep in mind: a healthy lifestyle minimises the risk of ED, drugs such as viagra are worth trying but don’t expect miracles, if you’re no longer having intercourse, you don’t need erections, contrary to popular belief, men can have orgasms without erections, the drugs work best in combination with sex therapy and lastly, erection changes can mark the end of sex or a new erotic beginning so do not worry too much Otieno, you are still a king! Stay safe and have a lovely week ahead!
How does an healthy sperm…
How does an healthy sperm looks is it mucus like or what
In a nutshell, the…
In a nutshell, the characteristics of healthy sperm can be summed up in three words: quantity, quality, and motility. Quantity of sperm, of course, refers to the amount, while the quality pertains to the sperm’s physical appearance. Motility, on the other hand, refers to the sperm’s movement. Healthy sperm is a good indication that a man’s reproductive system is in good shape, raising the probability of producing offspring. One can go to fertility clinics and laboratories to have his sperm tested and analyzed in order to know whether or not his sperm cells are healthy. It is normally thick, sticky, and clumpy on ejaculation due to the protein it contains as this helps it to ‘stick’ higher in the vagina and slow down the rate it drips out, so increasing the chances of fertilization occurring. Semen is normally thick, sticky, and clumpy on ejaculation due to the protein it contains.
Good
Good
Hi there,
Than you for…
Hi there,
Than you for visiting Love Matters. Glad you liked the article!
Is it good to stay long…
Is it good to stay long without have sex and I would like do know the side effect
Hi Emmanuel 2,
It is…
Hi Emmanuel 2,
It is totally safe and okay to stay without having sex. There are no known physical side effects to this. Read this article to understand more: All about abstinence
You said men can start…
You said men can start experiencing ED at the age of 50.My grandpa married his 3rd wife at the age of 60 and got 5 children. What’s happening to this generation?
Hi Moses,
Phew! Your…
Hi Moses,
Phew! Your grandpa is a champion. Good for him! Remember that ED can be brought about by many factors and poor lifestyle choices are among risk factors. Such risk factors for ED include poor diet, being overweight, smoking, alcoholism, stress, physical inactivity, etc.
P
P
Hi Sammo,
Do you have a…
Hi Sammo,
Do you have a question? We are happy to answer it.
When I go for a long goal at…
When I go for a long goal at times urine mixed with semen is that raises a concern.
Hi Kenneth,
Do you also…
Hi Kenneth,
Do you also find that when you orgasm, little or no semen comes out of the penis? If yes, you could have experienced retrograde ejaculation. This happens when a man reaches orgasm, but little or no semen comes out of the penis. Instead, the semen goes backward into the bladder. It is not a harmful condition. The semen mixes with urine and passes out of the body the next time the man urinates. It causes no damage to the bladder. However, retrograde ejaculation can affects a man’s ability to get a woman pregnant. Visit a doctor to confirm and get their advice.
Why is that the female…
Why is that the female gender have got more concentration of zinc than the male gender
Hi Marcus,
There is no…
Hi Marcus,
There is no evidence to show that women generally have more zinc in their system than men.
I have a high sperm count…
I have a high sperm count. Can that affect me or my partiner
Hi Ptah,
Did you doctor…
Hi Ptah,
Did you doctor certify this? Either way, a high sperm count cannot affect your partner in any way.
Is it normal to love sex…
Is it normal to love sex than food
Hi Caleb,
Absolutely! We…
Hi Caleb,
Absolutely! We are all different. It is totally normal to prefer other things to others.
is it normal or what to have…
is it normal or what to have colourless sperms?
Hi Ton,
I think you mean…
Hi Ton,
I think you mean semen? Sperm is contained in semen and you cannot see it with a naked eye since it is too tiny. In this case, normal and healthy semen is cloudy white or gray liquid.
Mucus
Mucus
Hi Otiende,
What about…
Hi Otiende,
What about mucus? Feel free to ask any questions you may have.