Fertility is a complicated issue, and no single factor guarantees conception. Many factors come into play, including sperm quality.
If you’re looking for ways to increase the chances of conception, in this article, we will discuss some strategies to make sperm stronger for pregnancy.
How Do You Know if You Have Healthy Sperm?
You can't tell if your sperm is healthy just by looking at it. Semen analysis is the best way to learn about it. These tests were traditionally performed in a clinic setting, but there are now more options, including sperm kits that allow you to test at home.
What is a Normal Sperm Count?
Your count is considered normal if you have 39 million or more total sperm in your ejaculate (or more than 15 million per millilitre of semen).
However, conception is much more than just the number of sperm. It is not possible to conceive naturally if you have a normal sperm count, but none of the sperm is swimming forward.
How to Make Sperm Stronger for Pregnancy
1. Stop Smoking
Cigarette and secondhand tobacco smoke use have been shown to reduce fertility. Smoking can harm the reproductive system and harm the DNA of sperm. Quitting smoking may increase sperm volume and count.
2. Stay Physically Active
Exercise has numerous advantages that can improve your physical, mental, and even sexual health. Regular physical activity can increase sperm count and improve their ability to swim forward.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
You've probably heard that eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet is essential for good health. But did you know it's also related to sperm quality and health?
Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are high in nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants, which may help sperm count and swimming ability.
4. Drink Less Alcohol
Alcohol consumption (especially chronic use) can have a wide range of negative effects on the body.
This includes male fertility factors such as decreased sperm volume, count, and shape. Reduced alcohol consumption, particularly if you're a heavy drinker, has been shown in studies to improve these parameters.
5. Avoid Recreational Drugs
Some recreational drugs, such as marijuana, anabolic steroids, and opioids, can lower testosterone levels, which are necessary for sperm production and erectile function.
6. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight benefits sperm health as well. In one small study, obese men who lost weight had higher-quality sperm.
7. Treat Underlying Health Conditions
While there are many things you can do on your own to strengthen your sperm for pregnancy, sometimes a medical condition is to blame. Varicoceles are enlarged veins in the scrotum that can interfere with fertility. Treatment usually improves sperm quality.
Over to You
There are numerous factors that influence a sperm's ability to fertilise an egg. You can promote healthy sperm and sperm development by taking care of your overall wellness, which includes quitting smoking and drinking, getting enough exercise, and eating a nutritious diet.
References
Asghar Beigi Harchegani, September 2019; Hyperviscous Semen Causes Poor Sperm Quality and Male Infertility through Induction of Oxidative Stress - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6771048/
Deborah Allouche-Fitoussi , October 2020; The Role of Zinc in Male Fertility - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7589359/
Sedigheh Ahmadi, December 2016; Antioxidant supplements and semen parameters: An evidence based review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5203687/
