We know that maternal health can affect pregnancy outcomes—it’s one of the reasons prenatal vitamins exist. Making sure you get enough key nutrients before and during pregnancy can help conception and pregnancy outcomes, including the health of your baby. But what about male fertility and sperm health? Turns out, male factor infertility is responsible for over 50% of fertility issues, but males are not encouraged to supplement, test, or adjust their lifestyles the same way females are. And sperm health doesn’t just impact the ability to get pregnant—it also impacts pregnancy outcomes. Learn more about how sperm health affects conception, how to increase male fertility, and how to make sperm stronger for pregnancy.
- The importance of male fertility
- Identifying poor sperm health
- At-home sperm testing
- Sperm quality and pregnancy outcomes
- Issues linked to poor sperm health
- Factors that contribute to poor sperm health
- Improving sperm health
Why is male fertility important when trying to conceive?
From fertilization to embryo development, sperm (albeit small) have a mighty role to play. Before sperm contribute to an embryo, they first need to meet and fertilize an egg—and they need to be healthy to do that successfully. Healthy sperm have greater motility (movement) and better shape (morphology), which makes it easier to travel through the female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize the egg. Sperm with poor motility and morphology are associated with decreased fertilization rates.
Once the sperm reaches the egg, it’s time to combine DNA to make an embryo. But damaged genetic material (AKA, sperm DNA fragmentation) can affect sperm’s success, including failing to fertilize the egg, or contributing to an increased risk of miscarriage or developmental issues (more on this in a sec). Healthier sperm are also linked to a faster time to conception.
How do you know if you have poor sperm health?
While getting a semen analysis and physical exam from a doctor can provide a lot of information, there are a few signs and symptoms that may suggest sperm might need a little TLC.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance
We often hear of females experiencing “hormonal imbalance,” but did you know that male hormones are also affected? Testosterone plays a role in sperm production, so it makes sense that lower levels of this male hormone result in low sperm counts. Low libido, fatigue, depressed mood and irritability, decreased physical ability, and increased body fat are all symptoms that point to low testosterone in males.
Physical Signs
Varicoceles (enlarged veins in the scrotum) are the most common cause of abnormal semen analysis, low sperm count, decreased sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology. The good news is that treatment of varicoceles improves pregnancy rates and sperm concentration, which is why identifying and treating varicoceles early helps shorten the time to conception.
Past Injury and Infection
Past or present bacterial or viral infections are thought to contribute to over 35% of male infertility cases, and 20% of those infections are asymptomatic. If you suspect you had, or could have, an infection, it’s a good idea to get assessed as soon as possible.
Difficulty Conceiving
Lastly, but perhaps the most obvious way to know if you have poor sperm health is a delayed time to conceive.
Fortunately, male fertility tests are available for at-home testing. This not only offers amazing convenience and comfort (think: no semen sample necessary at your doc’s office) but also provides accurate results within minutes, so you can take appropriate action steps to move forward in your fertility journey.
How does sperm quality affect pregnancy outcomes?
Sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) reflects the integrity of and the damage to sperm DNA (it’s a key measure of assessing male fertility). Higher levels of DNA damage are observed in couples experiencing “unexplained infertility.” And, it turns out that healthy sperm are not just advantageous for conception but necessary for good pregnancy outcomes—for both baby and mama.
Sperm with reduced motility, morphology, and greater DNA fragmentation were found to be a major player in couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). If sperm has damaged DNA, even if it fertilizes the egg successfully, the embryo may not be able to grow properly or may stop growing altogether.
New studies also show that poor sperm health negatively impacts placental development, increasing the likelihood for females to develop pregnancy-associated complications, like pre-eclampsia (defective sperm doubles the risk of females developing this condition), and increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
When it comes to trying to get pregnant, age matters—for females and males. Advanced paternal age (males conceiving over 35) is a factor in fertility, fetal and childhood development, and is associated with delayed time to conception, in addition to poorer sperm health.
Poor sperm health can:
- Lead to a longer time to get pregnant
- Contribute to recurrent pregnancy loss and miscarriage
- Negatively impact placental development
- Double the risk of preeclampsia
- Increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight
What contributes to poor sperm health?
Just like egg health, sperm health is influenced by a variety of factors, ranging from genetics, biology, environment, and lifestyle factors. Some of these are not modifiable (we can’t control our age or what genetic conditions we have), whereas many are (think: diet, sleep habits, and supplement support). And while sperm are small and super susceptible to free-radical damage, they also respond really well to intervention (we’ll touch on this in a bit) and can improve dramatically with a few changes in as little as 3 months.
Sperm health factors
Genetic, biological, and anatomical factors:
- Hormones: Healthy levels of testosterone, FSH, and LH are all needed for sperm production.
- Genetics: Inherited conditions, like Klinefelter syndrome and cystic fibrosis, can affect sperm production and quality.
- Age: Sperm quality declines after 35
- Chronic conditions: Diabetes, obesity, infections, and thyroid disorders can all affect sperm health since these conditions increase free-radical damage.
- Testicular health: Varicocele, injury, or infection may reduce fertility.
Lifestyle factors:
- Diet: A healthy, antioxidant-rich diet supports sperm DNA and motility.
- Exercise: Moderate exercise helps to improve blood flow, support metabolic & hormonal health
- Sleep quality: Lack of sleep and irregular sleep patterns worsen sperm health.
- Stress: Chronic stress interferes with testosterone and sperm production.
- Drugs and alcohol use: Cigarettes, marijuana use, and alcohol consumption have all been found to negatively impact male fertility.
- Heat exposure: Frequent use of hot tubs or saunas can impair sperm production.
How can you improve male fertility and sperm health?
With the right diet, nutrients, and lifestyle habits, you can make a significant difference in sperm health in just a few short months. Here’s how.
1. Try a Mediterranean-style diet
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, and olive oil has been linked to better sperm count, motility, and morphology. Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds are especially helpful since they contain Selenium, a key antioxidant that helps reduce free radical damage in sperm, and Zinc, a mineral that supports healthy testosterone levels.
2. Try a male prenatal vitamin
Stick with doctor-backed sperm health supplements that are backed by research. Nutrients that protect sperm and improve DNA are key for improving male fertility. CoQ10, Folic Acid, and Vitamins C, E, and D have been found to improve DNA synthesis and sperm motility, boost sperm energy, and protect against DNA fragmentation. If you’re worried about nutrient deficiencies, speak to your doctor to determine what additional nutrients might be beneficial to you.
Read More: The 8 Best Male Fertility Supplements to Support Sperm Health →
3. Improve your sleep habits
Sleep is super important—it turns out, more than 5 hours of sleep is the bare minimum for healthy sperm, and over 8 hours is even better. Sleep is also foundational to stress management, weight control, and hormone health–all of which matter when it comes to little swimmers.
4. Limit heat and pressure to the testes
While saunas and cycling are often considered healthy habits, it turns out that when it comes to trying to conceive, you should exercise moderation. Testicles require a much cooler environment than the rest of the body (it’s why they’re located outside of the body), so it’s critical to reduce heat exposure, yes—even from saunas and cycling.
5. Reduce free-radical damage where you can
Alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis all contribute to oxidative stress, which sperm are particularly susceptible to. Similarly, diets higher in processed meats (like sausage, bacon, and lunch meat) had poorer sperm morphology, while diets with more fish intake were beneficial to sperm health.
