Prostate Health
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How Health Affects Male Fertility
Male fertility can be affected by your lifestyle. If you have a healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to have healthy sperm. Smoking, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol, and your weight can also affect male fertility. To improve your chances of conceiving a child, make lifestyle changes and commit to living a healthy lifestyle.
Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can be a cause for infertility. To limit your exposure to these diseases, it is important for you to limit your sexual partners, practice safe sex, and commit to a monogamous relationship. Regular use of marijuana, tobacco, and illegal drugs can reduce the quality of your sperm and lead to abnormalities. Stay clear of illegitimate drugs. Such as tobacco, medical marijuana can certainly reduce sperm movement along with result in sperm for being misshapen. Cocaine along with heroin furthermore obstruct healthy sperm. Heavy alcohol consumption adversely affects male fertility. Alcohol in moderation is fine but regularly consuming large quantities can significantly limit the quality and the quantity of your sperm.
Studies have found that lubricants such as KY Jelly and Astroglide can inhibit sperm movement and kill sperm. If you are trying to conceive, it is best to stay from popular lubricants as well as using saliva as a lubricant. If you must use a lubricant, try to use Pre-Seed Intimate Moisturizer which is “sperm friendly.” This product was developed for couples who are trying to conceive but may be experiencing vaginal dryness and not harm the sperm.
Adopting a healthy diet is another factor important to male fertility. Studies have shown that being overweight influences the quality of your sperm and decreases sperm count. To maximize male fertility and sperm health, consume a balanced and healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and one that is rich in antioxidants. When it comes to fertility, a healthy diet is just as important for men as it is for women.
When trying to conceive, men should avoid hot tubs, hot baths, and saunas. Spending a significant amount of time in hot tubs, saunas, and hot baths with temperatures over 100 degrees can affect the number of normal sperm, interfere with sperm production, and increase the amount of abnormal sperm. You should also avoid wearing tight clothing and use a mini-laptop desk instead of your lap when using your laptop computer.
Lastly, male fertility can be hampered by prescription medications. Anabolic steroids can suppress testosterone, limit male fertility, and also cause harm to the male reproductive system which can lead to irreparable damage. If you are taking prescription medication, it is advised that you speak with your physician and discuss if your medication may cause fertility issues. Prescription medications including antidepressants, antihypertensives, and antibiotics can inhibit sperm production. If male fertility may be compromised due to prescription medication, discuss alternatives and let your doctor know that it is important for you to protect your fertility. Also, prescription medication can affect your libido and cause you to lose interest in sexual relations with your partner. Men who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation should consider freezing their sperm because cancer treatment can cause damage to sperm cells. If you have not yet started chemotherapy and radiation, your sperm can be frozen and preserved for future use.
Male fertility can easily be maintained. There are many factors that may have an effect on sperm counts and quality in men. Some solutions are more obvious than others but there are some easy ways you can amend your lifestyle to lift the quality of sperm when trying to conceive. Some of the simplest, best and most effective ways are shown below.
6. Cigarettes and alcohol
This one should go without saying. Smoking is shown to damage the sperm; no ifs, no buts. The same goes with excessive alcohol consumption. By laying off the cigarettes and alcohol you’ll also be doing yourself a favor in other areas.
5. Bin the briefs
Tight-fitting underwear can cause the testicles to heat and damage the sperm. By switching to breezier boxers your testicles can do their job: keeping sperm at a cool, healthy temperature. Tight pants can prevent them from this by keeping the testicles pressed up warm against the body.
4. Fruits and vegetables
By swapping the burgers and fries for fruit and vegetables you’ll be dosing yourself with those fresh vitamins that your body needs to do its job. The plus side is eating fruit and vegetables is shown to have a positive effect on almost every other physiological outcome as well.
3. Weight and exercise
Being overweight, as cruel as it may seem, strongly correlates with infertility and associated problems – linked with low testosterone levels as well as increased temperatures (see number 5) due to the extra insulating fat. On the other hand, regular and intense exercise is shown to increase testosterone levels, as well as leaving you in better shape and with an increased libido.
2. Multivitamins
As well as the importance of a good and proper diet featuring lots of fresh greens, supplementary multivitamins can be taken. These will ensure that you are not missing out on anything that may be deficient in the diet. Certain types are targeted at men and should include selenium, zinc and folate. All three of these have been linked to healthy sperm production.
1. Avoid certain types of food
Certain types of food have been associated with low sperm counts, with red meat being a big culprit. Swapping the steak for chicken should go hand in hand with eating more fruit and vegetables as above. Outside of this there are plenty of foods that are shown to help increase sperm counts including seafood and grains.
Of course, if making lifestyle changes doesn’t seem to help with male fertility situation, then professional help can be sought. Occasionally it can be difficult to identify exactly what it is that is causing the reduced male fertility. With the help of a medical professional possible causes can be discussed; including counts, tests and medication to seek out an appropriate solution to the problem.