Your sperm is as essential to you as eggs are to a woman! But of course, there are differences, like as a man, you are most likely to be fertile for most of your life, unlike women whose fertility stops with menopause. So what do you think, what makes you fertile or infertile? Well, mister, male infertility is highly linked to the health of your sperm. If your sperms are not healthy, it is doubtful you will be able to reproduce babies!
Sperm health is generally decided on three factors, sperm count, sperm, shape, and sperm motility. Healthy shaped sperm in sufficient numbers and who are great swimmers and risk-takers as well (remember they have a long journey to travel through the hostile acidic environment of the female’s reproductive passage), are the ones who win the race. Coming to sperm motility, your ejaculation sample would only be considered normal if you have at least 40 percent motile or living sperm, of which at least 32% should show progressive movement. So when it comes to the motility of your sperm, it’s something you should be concerned about and here is all you can do to help those little swimmers swim faster:
- Maintain a healthy weight: If you are obese, then it’s better to cut down on your fat first before trying to conceive as a couple. Too much weight or a high BMI (body mass index) is linked to lower sperm count and sperm motility.
- Eat healthy foods: Yes, eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are not only good for your health but is also good for the health of your sperm. The antioxidants and linolenic acids found in many foods can help those little swimmers out there to stay in the best of their health.
- Exercise Regularly: As per studies, men who get at least ninety minutes of exercise in a week have a better quality of sperm than those who don’t exercise at all. But don’t overdo it either as too much exercise is again not very healthy for your sperm.
- Add Zinc to your diet: Studies have linked low levels of Zinc in men to low testosterone levels, low count and low quality of sperm, and male infertility. Zinc can be found in high amounts in foods like meat, fish, eggs, and shellfish. If you are vegan, then you can go for zinc supplements instead.
- Vitamin C: Don’t underestimate the power of vitamin C when it comes to your little swimmers. In a study, it was seen that men who took 1000 mg of vitamin C twice daily for two months, had increased sperm motility by 92%! Vitamin C not only helps improve sperm count and motility but also helps reduce the proportion of deformed sperm cells by 55%.
- Ashwagandha: Yes, to improve your sperm quality, you can definitely befriend this herb. In a study conducted on men with low sperm count, men who took 675 mg of ashwagandha root extract per day for three months, had their sperm motility improved by 57%!
- Keep it cool: Those little swimmers are not meant for heat! That is why your scrotum temperature is almost 2 degrees less than your body temperature. So if you are too fond of a hot bath, sauna, or tight clothing, well, then be aware that all these can increase the temperature, leading to damaging your sperm. If exposure to heat is prolonged, then it may also affect the sperm production process, causing the body to produce fewer and abnormally shaped sperm.
- Drink less: As per studies, even five units of alcohol a week can reduce your sperm motility and count. Saying that binge drinking or excessive drinking is terrible for the health of the little swimmers. To ensure they stay in the best of health, its best to cut down on alcohol as much as possible.
Medically reviewed by Rishabh Verma, RP
