Is your sperm count getting in the way of your family planning? Even if you’re not looking at fathering a child anytime soon, this issue can be worrying. But the good news is that lifestyle changes and natural remedies can help you deal with the problem.
If you manage to make a few tweaks to your life and quit some habits, you are bound to see an improvement in the sperm count. There are also a variety of natural herbal remedies you can count on.
1. Have Maca Root
Peruvians have been using the maca root for libido-related issues for generations. The root helps improve sperm count besides improving semen volume and sperm motility.
Rich in magnesium, iron, amino acids, and iodine, the maca root has been shown to help with all of these parameters.1
2. Try Ashwagandha
The ayurvedic herbal remedy ashwagandha (withania somnifera) is a completely natural way to improve sperm count. Researchers have observed that consuming the extract improves not just the sperm concentration but also the morphology and motility.
In other words, you will not just see an increase in sperm count but also see improvement in the quality of your sperm.2
3. Have White Asparagus Roots
Glycoside-rich white asparagus roots are used in a dried form to improve sperm count. As an added incentive, consuming this remedy can also help if you have a premature ejaculation issue.3
4. Get Fit, Lose Weight
Obesity has been associated with lower sperm count, so getting fit should be a priority. Studies have found that oligozoospermia, a condition where the motile sperm count progressively drops, is closely linked to male obesity.
Low sperm concentration is also common among obese men, with many reporting erectile dysfunction as well.4 Another advantage to upping your fitness is that you’ll build your stamina and feel better about your own body image.
So there isn’t much to lose, except the extra pounds!
5. Relax And De-stress With Yoga
Researchers have found that stress can wreak havoc on your reproductive health and adversely affect sperm quality and production.5
Practicing yoga can ease the stress and also counter the effect of triggers in your daily life that might hamper your sperm production. By practicing yoga, you should also be able to get a grip on anxiety issues, if present, and also see improvement in autonomic functions.6
6. Do Away With The Bad Habits
You’ll be surprised with the number of habits that hamper your sperm health.
Laptop And Smartphones
Keeping the laptop on your lap while working is a fairly widely known cause of fertility issues. But did you know that using a Wi-Fi connection can make it even worse? A laptop causes exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves and Wi-Fi usage increases the level of emissions your body is exposed to.
Avoid this habit and, for the same reason, also avoid keeping your smartphone constantly in your trouser or shirt pockets. 7
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption can be problematic, leading to a complete absence of viable sperm in the worst-case scenario. 8
Smoking
This is another big no-no if you’re looking to improve sperm health. It can adversely affect everything from sperm count to sperm density as well as the percentage of motile sperm.9
7. Take A Cold Shower
Hot baths could be doing you in. According to a study in California, switching the temperature of the bathwater can significantly affect your sperm health. In the study, stopping hot water baths caused nearly half the test subjects to experience close to 500 percent increase in sperm count compared to when they had their baths hot.
Experts suggest that for sperm production to continue at optimal levels, you need to maintain a temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius in your testicles. This is less than your body temperature, so a piping hot bath certainly won’t help the cause.10
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