How to Eat to Enhance Fertility (for Men)

Опубликовал Admin
25-08-2021, 23:20
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Dealing with infertility or difficulty getting pregnant can be frustrating and expensive. Some men face fertility problems due to low testosterone or problems with sperm count, production, and motility. If you want to try to improve your fertility naturally before trying expensive medical procedures, it’s easy to alter your diet in small ways. The use of foods and supplements to improve fertility has not been well studied, so consult with your doctor before making major dietary changes. Generally, however, you can choose healthy foods to increase your fertility and get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.

Choosing Vitamin-Rich Foods that Boost Fertility

  1. Get more vitamin E in your diet. Boosting your vitamin E may help to increase your sperm count, though data on this is limited. Add more high-vitamin E foods to your diet such as:
    • Sunflower seeds, almonds, and peanut butter
    • Cooked spinach, cooked beet greens, and cooked collard greens
    • Raw red peppers, canned pumpkin, cooked asparagus, raw avocado, and raw mango
    • Cooked swordfish
    • Safflower oil
  2. Eat foods high in vitamin C. Vitamin C may help boost male fertility, though research on this is limited. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in every meal, as these contain high amounts of vitamin C. Some of the produce highest in vitamin C are:
    • Citrus fruit and juice, like orange and grapefruit
    • Tropical fruits like cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, papaya, and pineapple
    • Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, and watermelon
    • Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
    • Peppers (green and red), tomatoes, and potatoes (sweet and white)
    • Leafy greens like cabbage, spinach, and turnip greens
  3. Get more vitamin A. Having appropriate levels of vitamin A may help improve male fertility. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A such as spinach, kale, collard greens, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, and fortified dairy. Liver is also high in vitamin A.

Increasing Fertility with Nutrients and Minerals

  1. Eat tomatoes to boost your lycopene. Tomatoes, which contain lycopene, may help improve sperm count and mobility. Fresh tomatoes are fine, but eat cooked or processed tomatoes – like tomato sauce and tomato puree – to get more lycopene.
  2. Amp up your zinc intake. Zinc deficiency may contribute to low testosterone and thus low fertility in men. Have oysters once a week – raw oysters are high in zinc and are known to increase testosterone and sperm count. Regularly eat zinc-rich foods such as meat (especially lamb and venison), fish, shrimp, poultry, whole grains, pumpkin and sesame seeds, dairy, and raw vegetables.
    • A handful of walnuts or pumpkin seeds make a healthy and zinc-boosting snack. Add these to a salad for a tasty way to incorporate them into your diet.
  3. Enjoy antioxidant-rich fruits. Eat pomegranate or drink pure pomegranate juice daily. Pomegranate is a powerful antioxidant that may increase your testosterone level and improve your fertility.
    • Add blueberries to smoothies, salads, or desserts – blueberries are also great antioxidant fruits. Blackberries and strawberries are other good options.
  4. Add more folic acid to your diet. Increase your folic acid consumption to potentially boost your sperm count. Since pregnant women (and women trying to get pregnant) should also get plenty of folic acid to help prevent birth defects, these are foods you and your partner can eat together:
    • Green leafy vegetables, like spinach and greens
    • Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons)
    • Beans
    • Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta
  5. Eat meats high in carnitine. Animal products like meat, poultry, and dairy contain amino acids called carnitine and l-carnitine. These chemicals might improve sperm count and fertility. The redder the meat, the more carnitine it has.
    • Remember that meat and whole dairy is high in fat. Consider your other health needs when altering your diet. Choose lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. If you’re not sure if eating meat is good for you, consult your doctor.
  6. Include fish in your diet to get a helpful enzyme. Chicken and meat contain a compound called coenzyme Q10, but more of this is found in fish. Coenzyme Q10 may improve sperm number and motility, though science is limited on this. Add fish to your diet like herring and rainbow trout. Other foods containing coenzyme Q10 include:
    • Canola oil
    • Roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and pistachios
    • Boiled cauliflower and broccoli
    • Oranges and strawberries
    • Eggs
  7. Consume more healthy fats. Healthy fats are nutritious, and eating a nutritious diet optimizes fertility for men because it enhances the quality of sperm. Increase the amount of coconut oil, olives, olive oil, butter, eggs, avocado, and nuts you eat in order to stay healthy and become more fertile.

Avoiding Dietary Pitfalls

  1. Stay hydrated. Increase your semen volume by staying hydrated. In general, men should drink around 13 cups of water and other fluids daily (about 3 liters). Drink more if you sweat a lot, work out, or live in a hot climate. Water, juice, and tea count towards your fluids.
  2. Avoid unhealthy sources of carbohydrates and starches. Instead of getting simple carbohydrates from bread, pasta, and rice, turn to healthier foods that provide complex carbohydrates, like fruits and vegetables. Trade the starchy potatoes for sweet potatoes and squash. These changes will help you maintain a healthier diet, which often improves semen quality and increases fertility.
  3. Limit your alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking can lower your testosterone. Try to stop drinking alcohol altogether or limit your alcohol consumption to “moderate” levels – two drinks a day at the most.
  4. Decrease your caffeine intake. Drinking too much coffee or other caffeinated beverages may lower your fertility. Try to keep your consumption to one cup of coffee per day.
  5. Avoid diet colas. Diet soda and other diet beverages often contain aspartame, which may lower your sperm count or cause damage to your sperm DNA. Stay away from diet drinks, or read the label to make sure they do not contain aspartame.
  6. Skip the processed meats. Men who eat processed meat like bacon, hamburgers, and hot dogs may have fewer normal-shaped sperm than men whose diet is rich in fish and poultry. If you eat meat, choose whole, lean cuts, preferably organically sourced.
    • For optimum nutrition, it may be necessary to limit or remove all processed foods, not just meats.
  7. Don’t eat much soy. Soy contains compounds that mimic estrogen, and therefore may contribute to lowering male fertility. If you’re struggling with fertility, stay away from soy products.
    • If you’re vegetarian or vegan, consult your doctor or a dietitian to make sure you get all the nutrients you need without meat or soy.
  8. Choose organic dairy products. Consume only organic dairy products that do not contain hormones. Many store-bought dairy products contain estrogen-like hormones that may decrease male fertility.

Tips

  • If you’re struggling with infertility, ask your doctor to take a blood test to see if you’re deficient in any vitamins or minerals. If your levels are too low and your doctor thinks you should, you can take a supplement.
  • Aim to maintain a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 to further increase fertility.

Warnings

  • Consult your doctor before making any major dietary changes or taking any supplements. Consider your other health needs when making changes to your diet.
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