Male Fertility.  7 ways to safeguard your seeds.

You may have heard the terms ‘low sperm count’ ‘poor motility’ ‘poor morphology’ being mentioned. You may have only heard your head sprouting out some not so nice thoughts.

Terms related to ‘firing blanks’ was used as an insult to men at one point. I certainly hope it isn’t any more, and it’s not just that I live within different groups of friends who don’t get joy out of insulting others any more.

So first of all I want you to remember that we live in a world full of toxins that affect us in a way like we never used to.

Pesticides and GM foods, constant exposure to electronic radiation, stressful lifestyles, to name but a few causes.

Thankfully as a man with a super power (that you can change the quality of your sperm with diet etc over as little as 3 months – the time it takes to produce it) means that you have some options…

So, if like approximately a 3rd of the couples affected by fertility issues, it’s the male aspect that is found as the cause, there is hope. You can do many things to help yourself, with a little time and dedication.

If you’d like a detailed and more in-depth scientific book on the male reproductive system and how to overcome some potential issues, check out ‘Overcoming male infertility. Understanding its causes and treatments.’ Leslie R.Schover Ph.D and Anthony J. Thomas Jr., M.D.

Above all though, keep hope and blast the stigma of male infertility out of the water.

So, here are 7 pointers to help you improve your fertility.

1. Where’s your mobile phone?

If the answer is in your trouser pocket, you could do with thinking of new ways of carrying your phone around with you. How many people have forgotten the uproar about potential mobile phone radiation that was well talked about when mobiles became increasingly popular in the 90’s?

The concerns didn’t go away because of research that proved it was safe… they just seemed to go quiet, along with the increase in the mobile phone business market.

Most of us chose not to even think about life without our smartphones, so maybe we need to reconsider a few options with regards to the use.

…Not to mention laptops and tablets using wifi. Where’s the barrier between the heat source/wifi and your man bits?

2. Thirsty?

Ok, so I don’t want to make you stop reading already. I’m aware I’ve already pointed out the much loved mobile is potentially zapping your swimmers, now I’m possibly reminding you to curb the booze and caffeine, and increase the water. I don’t need to lecture you, as I’m sure you’ll instinctively know why already.

Just be mindful of how many glasses of water you’ve had (or not had!) each day.

3. Cool dude?

This one you also probably know about ; ) Cool nuts are good nuts! Avoiding hot baths, saunas, and maybe even a little less time spent slaving over a hot stove, if you’re lucky!

4. Zzzzzzzzzzzz?

Be honest with yourself. Do you think you get enough hours in bed asleep? I stress the ‘in bed asleep’ rather than adding ‘snoozing on the sofa’ into your quota of sleep.

I’m talking the proper stuff. Maybe do yourself a favour and kill two birds with one stone, leave the mobile/tablet downstairs, and go to sleep in good time.

5. What’s your poison?

And I’m not talking about booze this time. Even though we know that cigarettes and heavy alcohol lower sperm production, so can regular over the counter products.

As can BPA in plastic drink bottles, and the lining of tins such as tinned tomatoes.

If you are health conscious and already eat an organic diet and don’t take pharmaceutical drugs, then you are doing well! If not, just be mindful about what you are putting into your body.

Even certain health supplements can potentially be problematic. If a supplement has a testosterone product in it, it could be sending the message to your brain that you have enough testosterone in your body, and not send the signals to make sperm.

6. Fit little swimmers?

Certain exercises could be detrimental to the delicate little fellas. Even getting on your bike could tip the balance. Being mindful of the effect that the exercise is having on your testicles will give you an idea if it’s ok for your little yous.

7. Sex. How much is enough (or not enough)?

If you’re reading this and just thinking about safeguarding your sperm for future, then this part isn’t relevant to you right now, but if baby making is on the agenda, then the question of how much sex should you be having, and when, is an important question… Answered in two parts.

Firstly, it isn’t true that the more often, the better. Sorry. You need to give your body a rest to be able to produce a good quality specimen. So, maybe every other day would be good.  Or even every third day.

Secondly, when is the best time? You need some input from your lady here I’m afraid.

You see, this is where sperm is clever…If the environment is favourable, your sneaky little swimmers could live inside for a few days to potentially five days (some studies have even showed a possible week, but personally I think it’s unlikely to be commonplace.)

So, they can be hanging around waiting for the egg to pop… And hey presto…but if conditions aren’t favourable, and by favourable I mean cervix is ready and producing the right fluid, the sperm can survive in a little holding area, called the krypts… waiting for the signals to set off!

The egg only lives 12 to 24 hours, so you have a window of time to procreate to be able to potentially fertilise that egg. So unless you are very in tune with your woman, then you will need her to alert you to the signs that her body is ready.

If all else fails, then every third day should cover any potential opening.