How to Increase Sperm Count & Production

Are you wondering how to increase sperm count?

Learning how to increase sperm count requires a healthy balanced diet, improved lifestyle, herbs, vitamins and minerals. Sperm takes 100 days to develop, 74 days to form and about 20 to 30 days to mature.

Healthy sperm is characterized by many factors. These include the amount of sperm in each ejaculate (sperm count), their shape (morphology), how fast and straight they swim(motility), as well as the integrity of their DNA (DNA fragmentation). The health of these sperm is integral to the sperm's ability to reach and fertilize the egg.

• Sperm count – There should be over 20 million sperm in every millimeter of ejaculation.
• Morphology – There should be a good number of normal-looking sperm (the smaller the number of abnormalities such as two heads or two tails the better).
• Motility – Sperm should be fast and should swim in a straight line.

What Makes Sperm Healthy?

Vitamins To Increase Sperm Count^[1][2]

• Vitamin C is known to increase sperm count.
• Vitamin E can help increase semen volume and sperm count as well.
• Vitamin B12 can also help increase sperm count.
• Vitamin A helps to produce testosterone, the male sex hormone.
• Vitamin A has antioxidant properties that protect you against cellular damage and help remove free radicals from your body. It also helps keep your seminiferous tubes healthy.
• Vitamin B6 helps in the production of male sex hormones in the body.^[3]
• Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C help in the absorption of Zinc in the body.
• To increase sperm motility naturally take CoQ10 daily.

Good sources of vitamins for improving sperm count include molasses, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, fish, legumes and green leafy vegetables. Luckily for us, if we supply the body with adequate nutrition and supplement with specific vitamins and minerals, we can greatly improve sperm health. The dosage is a very important aspect of taking vitamins and minerals, so speak to your Naturopath about the correct dosage for your situation.

Herbs

There are some herbs that can help increase your sperm count. Two types of Ginseng: RenShen and Radix Ginseng, may increase testosterone levels in the body. Tribulus, such as Tribulus Silvestrus and BaiJi Li, helps in the production of healthy sperm^[4] and may also treat sexual problems such as impotence and low libido. Remember, not all herbs can help promote fertility, so don’t self prescribe.

Foods

According to studies, free radicals are a contributing factor in up tp 80% of male infertility^[5]. Fortunately, antioxidants can help rid your body of free radicals. Foods rich in antioxidants include blackberries, garlic, blueberries, kale, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, plums, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, grape seed extract, red peppers and pine bark extract.

Water keeps your sperm hydrated as semen is made up mostly of water. To keep sperm well-hydrated, drink at least 8 glasses of purified water a day.

Minerals

Minerals such as selenium and zinc can help boost sperm count as well as sperm motility. When it comes to sperm health, mineral deficiency may result in infertility. An adequate supply of zinc and selenium is required for the proper development of sperm^[6]. In addition, minerals assist in epididymis function and help protect sperm cells.

Good sources of selenium and zinc include Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, whole grains, brewer’s yeast and sesame seeds. Zinc is essential for cell division and healthy sperm production. It is one of the most critical minerals for sexual function in males. It is needed in sperm production, sperm motility, sperm count, testosterone metabolism, testicular development and estrogen regulation in the male body. Zinc deficiency is quite common because every time a male ejaculates, he secretes about 5 mg of zinc as well.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol as it depletes the zinc levels in your body^[7]. Also, too much folic acid, coffee, tea, fiber and iron in the body can lower Zinc absorption.

Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle equates to a healthy sperm count. The testes become malnourished when the body is constantly under stress. Minimize alcohol intake as alcohol inhibits testosterone secretion, lowers sperm count^[8] and decreases sex drive. Alcohol may also speed up testosterone conversion to estrogen, leading to abnormal female hormonal levels in the man’s body.

If you want to know how to increase sperm count, start with adopting a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle. While your doctor may only tell you about surgery and other medical interventions, there are natural ways how to increase sperm count. However, consult first with your naturopathic physician before taking supplements and herbal medicines.

Have Your Sperm Re-tested

And remember, one sperm test is not enough to diagnose you with a sperm problem. Always have your sperm tested again. If getting a male fertility test done at the fertility clinic is proving too costly, you can always try the FDA approved SpermCheck fertility test for men you can do at home.

Want more information on how to increase sperm count? Check out our new program on improving sperm health.

Do you have any tips on how to increase sperm count which helped you? I would love to hear from you as would our readers!