Healthy sperm
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Eight tips to keep your sperm healthy

A recent study suggests one third of Indian men face infertility problems. The primary reason is an unhealthy lifestyle. Read our tips to keep your sperm in a good shape…
  1. Avoid junk food
    Keeping your diet healthy, full of proteins and carbohydrates is very essential for your sperm to live in good condition. A research concludes that when men eat fatty, unhealthy food, their sperm lose the ability to move vigorously towards the ovarian tube.

    Food items that are rich in processed grains and red meat impair sperm motility. Avoid all the junk food and try to include fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish that contain natural antioxidants in your diet. It provides the building blocks for healthy sperm.
  2. Exercise regularly
    man’s sperm quality directly correlates to his fitness. Studies have proved that men who exercise regularly have higher sperm concentration and being overweight or underweight affects male fertility.
    No outdoor activity, watching television for long hours and skipping meals are some key factors that compromise sperm quality. However, excessive exercise and steroids are also not good for sperms. Women also need to keep a check on their weight in order to conceive.
  3. Quit binge drinking and smoking
    Drinking too much alcohol regularly can lower the level of testosterone. Altered levels of reproductive hormones can cause difficulty in conceiving. Besides, it can also cause problems in normal body functions like growth, development and metabolism. Consumption of alcohol in large proportions can lead to azoospermia, a condition for no sperm cells in semen.

    Smoking increases the chances of erectile dysfunction in men and complications in pregnancy for women. Smoking can affect the genetic material in sperm and eggs and result in birth of underweight babies. Giving up smoking can help you increase your fertility. Pregnant women exposed to second hand smoke can also cause harm to the unborn baby.
  4. Keep it cool down there!
    Ideally, for normal sperm production the temperature of your scrotum should be three to four degrees lower than the rest of your body. If the temperature goes higher, its side effects could be drastic.

    Wearing tight underwear traps heat near the testicles. Wear clean, loose clothes around your private parts. Avoid too much direct exposure to sauna, hot tubs, warm blankets or any heat emitting gadgets such as laptops, cell phones.
  5. Beat the stress
    Constant stress could be an additional risk factor leading to infertility in men. There is no evidence that stress alone causes infertility but its effects on the autonomous nerve function can affect sperm volume. Stress is also a contributing factor to anxiety and low self-esteem during sex, resulting in lower sex drive.
  6. When in need, consult a doctor
    Every year, over eighteen million couples in India are diagnosed with infertility. It is also a taboo in most parts of the country. If you are not able to conceive or face any problem during ejaculation, you must see a doctor. Do not believe in myths.There are various chronic diseases and infections (including STDs) that affect your fertility.

    Infertility could be due to many reasons: health, psychology, social factors etc. It is important to treat it under the guidance of an expert. Your treatment could depend upon your age, how long have you been infertile and other aspects.
  7. Get proper sleep
    Sleep disturbances or irregular and insufficient sleep alters male libido and disturbs the circadian rhythm of reproductive hormones. A study conducted in Copenhagen, among 953 Danish men concluded that sleeping erratically could lead to 20 to 30  decrease in sperm concentration.
  8. Say no to drugs
    Many synthetic drugs (legal or illegal) are harmful for your semen. Some prescribed medicines also have negative side effects. Supplemental testosterone can change the rate of sperm production. Anabolic steroids are unsafe as well.

    Prolonged use of marijuana, stimulants like cocaine, MDMA or even methamphetamine leads to low sperm count. Some other drugs that you need to stay away from are alpha blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors etc.

    To get more information on various drugs that are harmful for male fertility, click here!
     

    Do you want to add to our list of tips to keep your sperm healthy? Do share your ideas or suggestions via our discussion forum or Facebook.

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