Guys, Are You Having Problems Starting a Family? Do you Know How to after your Sperm?
Did you know that male infertility is increasing? A landmark study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published in July, showed that among men from Europe, North America and Australia, sperm counts have declined by almost 60% in less than 40 years.
Sperm are specialist cells designed to transport your DNA to your partner’s egg. Whereas a woman is born with all eggs she’ll ever need, a man has to make new sperm continuously - and each sperm takes around 90 - 100 days to develop and mature.
Making healthy sperm is complicated. First, you need to make lots of sperm that are strong swimmers and are able to fertilise the egg when they arrive. Second, your sperm need to contain good quality DNA, essential for making a healthy baby. Sperm are sensitive and their quantity and quality can be affected by a number of medical problems and lifestyle factors.
But, here’s the good news....
because you make new batches of sperm every three months, simple lifestyle changes can help to improve the quantity and quality of your sperm. There are 8 main things to think about:
· Smoking - smoking over 20 cigarettes a day has been shown to reduce sperm count and motility (their ability to swim). Tobacco contains over 4,000 ingredients, many of which are toxic to sperm including cyanide, carbon monoxide, lead, cadmium and ammonia. One of the big problems with smoking is that it produces lots of ‘free radicals’ and these can kill sperm or make them dysfunctional. Smokers often have lower sperm counts, more abnormal looking sperm and slower swimmers.
· Alcohol - drinking more than 2 pints of beer or 1 large glass of wine a day increases your risk of infertility. If you’re trying to start a family, keep alcohol to a minimum for at least 3 months prior to trying for a baby - organic red wine is best as it contains fewer dangerous additives.
· Stress - this can limit sperm production and quality by producing free radicals, but one of the worst results of stress is it can put you off sex. Taking some of the stress out of your life can go a long way to improving your sperm quality.
· Age - the latest figures show that men over 45 make up nearly a quarter of fertility consultations. Ageing causes sperm DNA damage. Even if your partner gets pregnant, this damage can cause both short and long-term problems for your child’s health.
· Recreational Drugs - these can damage sperm in many ways. They slow sperm down and change the way they act, making it harder for them to find the egg and to penetrate it when they do. Regular drug use over a few years can permanently reduce a man’s ability to make sperm.
· Weight - being overweight (having a BMI of over 25), may affect the quality and quantity of your sperm.
· Heat - sperm production works best at a lower temperature than your normal body temperature (which is why the testes are where they are). So, if you increase your testicular heat, it’s bad for your sperm. If you wear compression shorts or tight underwear, spend all day sitting at a desk or even do lots of cycling or running, you can damage your sperm.
· Diet - a healthy balanced diet is important for healthy sperm. Just like you, sperm need lots of different nutrients to function properly. Cut down on red meat, and include more deep-sea fish (not farmed), and organic poultry. If it is difficult to avoid red meat, make sure that it is organically reared. Include wholegrains, nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts. Avoid caffeine - it may affect sperm motility, their ability to move, and in extreme cases can cause complete immobilisation of sperm.
If you’ve made changes and are still having problems starting a family, you may want to consider Reproflexology™, which is a specialised form of Reflexology that is designed to support couples with both natural and assisted conception. To find out more, go to www.barefoot-reflexology.co.uk/reproductive-reflexology/
because you make new batches of sperm every three months, simple lifestyle changes can help to improve the quantity and quality of your sperm. There are 8 main things to think about:
· Smoking - smoking over 20 cigarettes a day has been shown to reduce sperm count and motility (their ability to swim). Tobacco contains over 4,000 ingredients, many of which are toxic to sperm including cyanide, carbon monoxide, lead, cadmium and ammonia. One of the big problems with smoking is that it produces lots of ‘free radicals’ and these can kill sperm or make them dysfunctional. Smokers often have lower sperm counts, more abnormal looking sperm and slower swimmers.
· Alcohol - drinking more than 2 pints of beer or 1 large glass of wine a day increases your risk of infertility. If you’re trying to start a family, keep alcohol to a minimum for at least 3 months prior to trying for a baby - organic red wine is best as it contains fewer dangerous additives.
· Stress - this can limit sperm production and quality by producing free radicals, but one of the worst results of stress is it can put you off sex. Taking some of the stress out of your life can go a long way to improving your sperm quality.
· Age - the latest figures show that men over 45 make up nearly a quarter of fertility consultations. Ageing causes sperm DNA damage. Even if your partner gets pregnant, this damage can cause both short and long-term problems for your child’s health.
· Recreational Drugs - these can damage sperm in many ways. They slow sperm down and change the way they act, making it harder for them to find the egg and to penetrate it when they do. Regular drug use over a few years can permanently reduce a man’s ability to make sperm.
· Weight - being overweight (having a BMI of over 25), may affect the quality and quantity of your sperm.
· Heat - sperm production works best at a lower temperature than your normal body temperature (which is why the testes are where they are). So, if you increase your testicular heat, it’s bad for your sperm. If you wear compression shorts or tight underwear, spend all day sitting at a desk or even do lots of cycling or running, you can damage your sperm.
· Diet - a healthy balanced diet is important for healthy sperm. Just like you, sperm need lots of different nutrients to function properly. Cut down on red meat, and include more deep-sea fish (not farmed), and organic poultry. If it is difficult to avoid red meat, make sure that it is organically reared. Include wholegrains, nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts. Avoid caffeine - it may affect sperm motility, their ability to move, and in extreme cases can cause complete immobilisation of sperm.
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