While sperm count and quality is certainly a crucial piece of the male fertility equation, Nayot also points out that it's important to look beyond this sample. "If the semen analysis is normal, then there's usually no further attempts to optimize overall health, where in fact there is still a lot of room for improvements ranging from lifestyle changes to nutrient supplementation."

Swan couldn't agree more, based on her research. To improve reproductive health, she encourages following a Mediterranean-style diet, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, keeping alcohol to a minimum, ditching smoking, exercising (without overdoing it), avoiding endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and managing stress.

In addition to these lifestyle best practices, Kamperveen encourages maintaining healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. Plus, she advises aiming for seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep per night and meditating to help increase stress resilience. "The good news is that everything you do to contribute to your sperm health also contributes to your longevity," she says.

If you are actively trying to conceive, Kamperveen explains that all of these lifestyle choices become even more crucial in the 120 days leading up to conception (what she refers to as the "Primester"). "It is during this window when we can literally change the quality and expression of the genes that we will pass down to our children (and grandchildren), through a process called epigenetics."

As for supplementation, research suggests that antioxidants such as zinc, selenium, and CoQ10 may help limit sperm DNA fragmentation. Plus some studies suggest vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folate can have an impact on sperm health, as well.

What's more, if a man is facing fertility challenges, in addition to looking at overall health, Nayot encourages a scrotal ultrasound and hormonal panel blood test. "There are many sexual function considerations including libido, the ability to initiate and maintain an erection, and proper ejaculation," he says.

"If the sperm count is really low, then usually IVF (or ICSIintra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) should be able to overcome the main issue. Even if there is no sperm production, sometimes a surgery on the testicles can find a rare sperm that might just lead to a healthy pregnancy with ICSI. In short, there is a lot of hope, so it's best to look into your options."

As Swan and Kamperveen also note, it's important to take psychological factors into account, as well. "The psychological impact of sexual distress and male factor fertility can't be understated," says Nayot. "It's a hidden pain that doctors should ask about, and routinely offer counseling options."

As for destigmatizing the topic as a whole, Nayot feels "all of fertility is trending in the right direction," but we are only at the beginning of changing the male narrative. "Men still feel that their [fertility struggles] will be publicly judged as a marker of their masculinity, their sexual prowess, and their physical anatomy," he says. "The ongoing efforts of public campaigns to educate the masses, of public figures sharing their struggles, and safe forums for men to share and be supported will continue to make male [fertility challenges] less isolating."

This is just one of the trends mbg is predicting for 2022. Check out our full list of the latesthealth & wellness trends.

Here is the original post:
Sperm Counts Have Declined Over 50% We Need To Start Talking About It - mindbodygreen.com