Can You Increase Your Sperm Count with Supplements?
The short answer is "yes" and I'll talk more about this further on in this article.
But they mustn't be your main option.
They can help, but only if you make some lifestyle changes first.
After all, if you and your partner are trying to conceive, you want your baby to have the best possible start in life. And that means conception from as healthy an egg and sperm as possible.
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Important Lifestyle Factors
All of these factors have the same message. Get healthy and stay healthy in order to increase sperm count and improve their motility. Depending on how close to your cervix your partner deposits his load, the little swimmers may have a long way to go!
And there's a lot of them. The average sperm count is between 120 and 350 million per cubic centimeter. A low sperm count is below 40 million per cubic centimeter. Low sperm counts or poor sperm motility may be due to environmental toxins such as chemicals, radiation, drugs, heavy metal exposure, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol use, street drug use and pollution.
It's an unfortunate fact that the average male sperm count is half of what it was 50 years ago and sperm quality is down as well.
This may be caused by exposure to xenoestrogens (PCBs, DDT, dioxin, other pesticides, plastics and industrial pollutants) that mimic the effects of estrogen. You can prevent or minimize the impact of xenoestrogens on your health by eating organic food (to avoid herbicides and pesticides) that is high in antioxidants such as green leafy vegetables, kale, carrots, citrus, broccoli, cauliflower and yams
Heat and tight-fitting underwear that constricts the testes can also reduce sperm production.
Here are four things to do:
- If you smoke, stop. Smoking is probably the worst thing you can do for your health generally and for a healthy sperm count in particular. Also, work out how much you spend on cigarettes in a nine month period and consider what you could buy for your new son or daughter with that money instead.
- Exercise regularly. The combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet enhance fertility by keeping body weight at normal levels and relieving stress and anxiety. But avoid extreme exercise such as marathon running. This can also cause infertility as it can lead to amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) in women and a lowered sperm count in men.
- Get the right nutrients. For men, the most important supplemental nutrients to enhance fertility are vitamin C and zinc. Vitamin C (2,000 to 6,000 milligrams daily) helps prevent sperm from clumping or sticking together, thus improving the chances for fertility. and zinc supplementation (100 to 200 mg daily) has been shown to increase testosterone levels, sperm count and sperm motility.
High zinc sources include oysters, organ meats, lean grass-fed beef, turkey, lamb, herring, wheat germ, legumes and nuts.
Arginine is an amino acid the body produces from the digestion of protein. It is found in high amounts in the head of the sperm and has been shown to help low sperm counts and poor motility. In high doses, arginine is also a potent dilator of arteries, leading to better erections. Food sources of arginine include nuts, dark chocolate, meat, poultry, fish and dairy. - The following herbs can help with sexual health, including better erections and an improvement in sperm count and fertility. Although as natural products, they are generally free of side effects, you should always consult your doctor before taking any of them:
panax ginseng (Korean ginseng): 500 milligrams, 1 to 3 capsules daily
saw palmetto berry: 80 mg, 1 to 2 capsules daily
muira puama: 500 mg, 3 to 6 capsules daily
ginkgo biloba extract: 250 mg, 1 to 3 capsules daily
rhodiola rosea: 500 mg, 1 to 3 capsules daily
nutmeg: 500 mg, 1 capsule daily
horny goat weed: 500 mg, 1 capsule daily
elk antler velvet: 500 mg, 1 to 3 capsules daily
Tribulus terrestris: 500 mg, 1 to 3 capsules daily
Supplements to Increase Sperm Count
Since sperm formation takes almost three months, it will take at least this amount of time before experiencing the benefits of a nutrient supplementation program.
Here's one you should take a look at (click the link for more information):
VigRX Fertility Factor 5
This product aims to:
- Increase Sperm Population (count)
- Improve Sperm Shape (morphology)
- Boost Sperm Movement (motility)
- Enlarge Semen Volume
- Support Male Reproductive Function
Making the 3-month wait well worth it.