Male Fertility by Dr. McNaughton ND

Male fertility isn’t discussed nearly as often as female fertility, and yet….it takes two to

tango! If you are considering having children — even if it is months to years away — you

may want to read on!

 

Prior to conception, women often make many diet and lifestyle changes to improve the

health of the child-to-be. However, not much thought is given to the health of sperm!

Since sperm is 50% responsible for making a baby, lets talk about things you can do to

ensure your swimmers are healthy!

 

1. Testosterone – Did you know that stress increases your cortisol levels, drops

   testosterone, and worsens sperm health? While many herbs and supplements

   can improve testosterone levels, stress management is important in addressing

   the root cause.

2. Heat – Simply put, overheated testicles damage sperm! The most common ways

   testicles are overheated include tight underwear or pants, electronics around the

   genitals, seat warmers, and varicoceles (dilated veins around the spermatic cord

   bringing more blood to the area). Try wearing looser bottoms, avoid using your

   laptop directly on your lap, and don’t store your phone in your pant pockets!

3. Antioxidants – DNA damage to sperm often leads to failed fertilization or poor

   pregnancy outcomes. In fact, miscarriage rates are 1.7x higher when sperm have

   more than 30% fragmentation! Antioxidants have been found to reduce DNA

   damage and improve sperm quality. You can increase antioxidant intake through

   your diet (think bright coloured veggies) and with supplements. Some of the best

   choices for this include CoQ10, Zinc, folate, and Vitamin D. Talk to your

   Naturopathic Doctor about dosage and whether these supplements are

   appropriate for you.

4. Omega 3s – Not only are these anti-inflammatory fatty acids essential for brain

   and skin health, they are important for sperm! In fact, a study found that eating

   18 walnuts a day for 12 weeks improved sperm’s DNA, space, and movement.

   There were also fewer chromosomal abnormalities.

5. Acupuncture – This is a great option for balancing hormones, improving sperm

   quality, reducing stress, and addressing many seemingly unrelated symptoms!

 

Did you know that it takes 3 months for sperm to fully mature? This means that lifestyle

changes take at least 3-6 months to improve sperm health! The good news is that

sperm are typically quite responsive to treatment, often increasing in quantity and

quality!

 

If you and your partner are considering trying-to-conceive, book a consultation to

determine which factors and supplements are most relevant to your needs.

# menshealthmonth, #spermhealth, #malefertilityawareness, #acupunctureforfertility,

#takestwototango, #naturalfertility