Foods That Increase Your Sperm Count (Ask Men)

Foods That Increase Your Sperm Count

Add These 10 Foods To Your Diet To Give Your Swimmers More Strength

When it comes to baby-making, there’s more to be concerned about than sperm count. There’s also motility and the shape of your sperm. But first you want to make sure your ranks (read: balls) are full of soldiers. Consider that as the baseline for your reproductive abilities.

The normal sperm count ranges from 15 million to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Yes, that’s a lot of, um, fluid. And to be considered to have a low count, you would need to have less than 15 million or fewer than 39 million sperm total per ejaculate. As we know, you chances of getting Bae preggo decreases as your sperm count decreases.

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To be clear, having a low sperm count does not mean you are infertile. Plenty of men father children and have lower-than-normal sperm densities. In fact, Dr. Seth Cohen, assistant professor of Urology and OBGYN at NYU Langone Medical Center, says that unless you’re trying (and failing) to father a child right now, there’s no reason to start obsessing about your count.

“It actually causes more harm than good to know, if you’re just dating,” Dr. Cohen said while explaining that some men might start trying to fix a problem where no real problem exists. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t start doing the everyday things that promote healthy sperm and a healthy sperm count.

And that starts with eating right.

“The most important thing a guy can do is to treat your body like a temple,” Dr. Cohen said. “Would you smoke in a temple?” No, you probably wouldn’t. You want to simply put things in your body that help you stay healthy.”

According to Dr. Cohen, there’s no research that says that one particular diet is going to multiply your swimmers or make you more fertile than another. “Eating clean is never a bad thing,” he said. “If you’re eating junky processed foods, it’s not going to be good for your body and it’s not going to be good for your sperm.”

Fine. There’s no food that going to turn your boys into secret egg-fertilizing super agents. And there are some things you can’t control. Varicoceles are a common cause of low sperm production. A varicocele is an enlargement of the veins within the scrotum and must be repaired with surgery. A history of cancer, increased estrogen or hormonal imbalances are other reasons. But there are things you can start doing now to help your case and that starts with your diet.

So if you want to increase your numbers and get your boys moving, start with adding these 10 foods to your diet.

10. Oysters

Oysters

You might know these to be an aphrodisiac (even if they really might not be) that gets the party started. But it’s much more than that. Oysters are loaded with zinc, which help increase sperm production and sperm potency and testosterone, which are all clutch when creating tiny humans inside of your lady’s belly. Zinc deficiency has been linked to impotence and erectile dysfunction so an increase could provide an extra age. For the record, you should think about sharing, as oysters also help regulate libido in both men and women. Oysters are also high in protein, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin B12, iron, copper and selenium.

9. Eggs

Eggs

You’re probably eating eggs anyway, especially if you’re trying to build lean muscle, which – obviously -- is another step toward getting to the promised land of baby-making. Eggs aren’t just rich in protein but also in vitamin E, which helps keep testicular tissue from degenerating. Including eggs in your diet will help boost sperm count and fertility. Try boiling your eggs though. Prepping them this way helps make nutrients, like amino acids, easier to absorb.

Even if you’re a egg whites kind of person, you’re still getting a rich source of vitamin D, B6, B12, iron, copper and other sperm-boosting properties like zinc.

8. Tomatoes

Tomatoes

The bright red color of tomatoes is good for more than adding some nice color to your plate. The color comes from lycopene, which also boosts fertility. In fact, studies show lycopene can boost sperm count up to 70 percent. It also increases your swimmers’ speed and can reduce the number of sperm abnormalities. Studies have also shown lycopene to reduce prostate diseases as well as prostate cancer.

7. Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

You know that saying, “The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice?” Well, same is true for dark chocolate and your, err, man juice. Dark chocolate has proven to help increase the volume of your ejaculate and jack up your sperm count and motility (strength of your swimmers). It’s not just good for your little guys either. Dark chocolate can boost heart health and lower risk of heart disease. Obviously, this candy you want to have in moderation but note that the cocoa is full of copper, and have plenty of zinc selenium, fiber, and potassium.

6. Salmon

Salmon

Hello there Omega-3 fatty acid and thank you for your contribution. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an Omega-3 fatty acid, is an essential building block for sperm. Omega-3 fatty acid is essential to create the arch that turns an immature sperm cell into a full-fledged pointy-header swimmer with an extra long tail, according to a 2012 study at the University of Illinois. Normal sperm cells have an arc-like structure called acrosome and without DHA that structure doesn’t form which makes the sperm cell useless.

If that’s not enough, salmon is also an excellent source of protein (hello, muscles), potassium and vitamin B.

5. Blueberries

Blueberries

Blueberries – and other berries like raspberries, strawberries and blackberries for that matter – are stocked with vitamin C, which is critical for motility and sperm health. Vitamin C also creates key amino acids that are required to produce sperm. Consider berries the one of the chief protectors of your sperm count.

Additionally, blueberries are a great source of fiber, help lower cholesterol and taste pretty damn good in a smoothie.

4. Garlic

Garlic

OK, so garlic may not help you get laid. You’ll have to grab a handful of breath mints first. But once you’re already doing the deed, just know that this superfood is jammed with selenium and vitamin B6, which help with production of healthy sperm and improves blood flow to your testicles. Garlic also contains nitric oxide synthase, which you can go ahead and thank for your healthy erection.

3. Nuts

Nuts

 “Pumpkin seeds are my favorite food for men with infertility,” Paduch says.

Yes, nuts help your nuts. Now that we’ve addressed that let’s get to the why. Nuts like almond and walnuts contain L-Arginine, which aids in sperm production. Not just that, nuts have protein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamin E -- agents of pumping up your sperm count and sperm health. The protein contained in nuts are also a great source of energy and if you’re trying to make a baby, you’re going to need it.

2. Beef

Beef

It’s what’s for dinner — especially if you are vying to put a bun in her oven. L-carnitine, a nutrient found in red meat, is great for sperm production and quality, Paduch says. In one European Academy of Andrology study, men whose diets were supplemented with the nutrient significantly increased their sperm concentration and motility. What’s more, the greatest increase was seen in men who had poor baseline sperm levels.

Nutritional info per 100 grams

Calories: 250

Carbs: 71g

Fat: 15g

Protein: 26g

Other notable nutrients (percentage of daily recommended intake):

Vitamin B6: 20%

Vitamin B12: 82%

1. Water

Water

It’s essential for your life and for creating a new one. Whether you want to lose weight, get more lean, improve your immune system or cure your dry mouth, water is the answer. Staying hydrated also increases the volume of sperm you produce so there’s a better chance your little guy can succeed in his egg hunting quest.