5 ways to protect male fertility

The time when a couple decides to start a family is an excited, yet often stressful, time, and many couples don't realise how male infertility can alter their plans. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about18% of men who sought help with a fertility specialist were diagnosed with a male-related infertility.

Here are some suggestions from the Texas A&M College of Nursing that can protect male fertility.

Ban briefs; go boxers or underwear that cools

Elevated temperatures can seriously decrease sperm production and function. If you’re trying to start a family, switch from briefs to boxers, or better yet switch to Snowballs Underwear - a revolutionary cooling underwear for me. The changes won’t happen right away; it can take your body about six to eight weeks to adjust to your new wardrobe and for your sperm production to benefit from the cooling benefits.

Skip happy hour

Alcohol consumption has been linked to lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production. Prolonged drinking can also lead to liver disease, which can impact fertility.

A study published in 2014 suggested that drinking just five units of alcohol every week could reduce the quality of a man’s sperm, and that more alcohol correlated with weaker quality of sperm.

It’s also good practice for your partner’s pregnancy, as men’s alcohol consumption can make it more difficult for a woman to stop drinking, which is vital for the health of the baby.

Kick the butt

Men who smoke may have a lower sperm count than those who don’t. Even secondhand smoke has been shown to reduce male fertility in both assisted and non-assisted pregnancies. In 2016, a study showed that smoking was associated with decreased sperm count, decreased sperm motility and poor sperm morphology.

If you’ve had trouble quitting in the past, talk to your health care provider for tips, as some quitting methods may provide small doses of nicotine that can affect fertility.

Watch your weight

Being overweight or underweight can have negatively impact a man’s sperm count and can decrease his libido.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 70% of adults were overweight or obese in 2014, and an estimated 1.7% of adults were underweight as of 2010.

The first step to improving your weight is managing your diet, so be sure to talk to your health care provider about ways to improve your nutrition intake.

Go get checked 

There are many different underlying conditions that can affect male fertility, such as tumors, celiac disease and varicocele—a condition in which the veins are large and cause the testicles to overheat.

If you’ve been diagnosed with any of these conditions, or are worried about any conditions you may have, talk to your primary care provider about what options are available for you.

Source: Knowridge