Healthy sperm don’t just happen; people work at it, literally. If anything, lifestyle factors, such as dietary habits, can affect your sperm and, in effect, your ability to become a father! Fertility experts maintain that it’s not every man that could make a woman pregnant.
Gynaecologist and Medical Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, says male infertility can be defined as one or more abnormalities in a semen analysis; adding that thick semen and healthy sperm are crucial when it comes to achieving pregnancy.
Before now, whenever couples found it hard to achieve pregnancy, all eyes turned to the wife simply because a man’s fertility finds expression in his wife. Indeed, most men would rather “try” their luck with another woman, instead of undergoing medical examinations to determine if there’s anything wrong with their bodies such that they’re unable to fertilise their wives’ eggs.
Dr. Sunny Abarikwu of the Department of Chemical Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ogun State, notes that in recent times, there has been a decline in the semen quality of young healthy men worldwide, with similar findings being reported in Nigeria. Abarikwu says, “Although little is known about what is responsible for the decline in male sperm count worldwide, significant associations have been reported between impaired semen quality, including sperm count, motility as well as morphology and exposures to heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, pesticides, industrial chemicals and endocrine factors.”
He adds, “In Nigeria, the problem is further compounded by a variety of factors such as sexually transmitted infections, genito-urinary tract infections/inflammations and deficiencies of dietary antioxidant nutrients, thereby increasing male-factor contribution to infertility in the population.”
He notes that in Nigeria, the male factor is responsible for primary causes of couple infertility by about 35 per cent.
Physicians advise couples who are trying to conceive to seek expert help as soon as possible. Fertility experts say if both of you are over the age of 35, you should seek expert help six months after you have been having unprotected sex; while you may wait for one year if both of you are under the age of 35.
Diet for sperm health
The adage, “You are what you eat,” is apt in every aspect of life, including getting and sustaining semen health. Nutritionists are saying that food plays important role in keeping your semen healthy. Nutritionist, Dr. Simeon Oladimeji, says since only a healthy sperm can make a woman pregnant, the quantity, quality and ability of your sperm to move swiftly (motility) will determine whether or not you will be a father. This being the case, he advises men to be watchful of their diet at all times, especially where they have challenges in the area of making their spouse pregnant.
“In addition to other factors, nutritional deficiencies can give you low sperm count, resulting in thin and watery semen. However, a man can have thick and healthy sperm through a healthy dietary habit,” the nutritionist says.
What foods can sustain your sperm health?
Antioxidants-rich foods
Experts say foods rich in antioxidants can improve sperm quality, because they are capable of decreasing the number of free radicals that usually cause cell membrane damage. Indeed, clinical studies indicate that men who eat diets low in antioxidants are more likely to have poor-quality sperm. As such, eat foods such as beans, apples, lettuce, carrots, and walnuts – which are the highest in plant omega-3s; as well as dark green vegetables that are rich in vitamins C, E, and A; and calcium; while they’re also loaded with magnesium and potassium.
B vitamin-rich foods
Oladimeji says folate is an integral part of vitamin B9, and it is important for men to eat foods rich in folate if they want to make healthy sperm, because it is a naturally occurring form of folic acid. “There’s a small amount of evidence linking a diet rich in this vitamin to higher sperm count. While a man doesn’t have to take folic acid supplement, he could make do with plenty of folate-rich foods such as green vegetables like spinach, and foods such as pulses, potatoes, oranges, bananas, pawpaw, beans, avocado, okro, avocado, corn, carrots, etc.”
Drink tea
Oladimeji says tea is good for sperm health. “With one sip of tea, you get two potent phytochemicals – anthocyanin and pro anthocyanin, which are antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
“Green tea, in particular, contributes many other protective phytochemicals. The catechin epigallocatechin gallate, which is especially abundant in green tea, is a particularly potent antioxidant,” physicians at online portal, webmd.com, assure.
Avoid alcohol
Oladimeji warns that while every individual must treat alcohol with caution, men who have issues with their sperm must avoid this beverage like a plague. “Alcohol affects the way the liver functions and it ultimately disturbs hormonal levels by affecting the way your body produces sperm. “This is how it works: Vitamin A is needed for sperm to develop, but alcohol can damage the quality, structure and movement of sperm by stopping the liver from properly metabolising this vitamin. “Again, alcohol is toxic to the testes and it can harm sperm when they are produced and prevent them from developing properly or stop them altogether from reaching the egg. When this happens, how can you impregnate your spouse? Oladimeji asks.
Another online portal, drinkaware.co.uk, warns that “In men, excessive long-term alcohol consumption can result in testosterone deficiency and shrink the testicles. This can lead to impotence, sterility, growth of breasts, loss of facial and body hair, and growth around the hips.” So, for the sake of your sperm health, stay off alcohol.
Eat zinc, selenium-rich foods
Foods such as sardine, mutton, egg, chicken, oats and onion are sources of selenium; while pork meat, beef, yoghurt and cashew are sources of zinc, and they are essential for sperm health, Oladimeji says.
In addition to healthy diet, always try to keep the scrotum cool, as overheating in this zone has been known to affect sperm health.
Culled from Punch
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