Why It Takes Two To Tango

Did you know that males are responsible for 20-30% of infertility cases? As a woman, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the cycle of wanting to blame ourselves for not being able to get pregnant, but in reality, it takes two to tango. Men have just as much of a chance of having fertility issues as women.

Age is a Factor

When it comes to male fertility, similarly to women, age is a factor. A 1976 survey taken by Ford and colleagues concluded that it took five times longer for men 45 years and older to result in pregnancy than men under the age of 25. Want to know the most interesting part? They took women of different ages (even ones under the age of 25) in this same study and found the results to be the same.

There Has Been A Decline In Sperm In Recent Years

Recent research has found that over the last 50 years, semen quality has declined in men. Though this study has not found exactly why there is a decrease, they can conclude that genetics is a significant factor. Regardless, because of modern medicine, there are treatments if men suffer from a low sperm count (surgery, hormone treatments, and assisted reproductive technology, to name a few.)

Ways to Boost Sperm Health

Replete Missing Micronutrients

Ask a functional health provider to test and see which sperm supporting micronutrients you are deficient in. This could be zinc, copper, Vitamin D, alpha-lipoic acid, to name a few. After you know which micronutrients you are deficient in, they can help you incorporate customized supplements and foods to boost these levels and improve sperm health. One way to do this is to take a good quality male fertility supplement with all the necessary ingredients in one place to help improve male fertility. They are one of the best ways to improve the quality of sperm, sperm count and production, which are all important for reproduction.

Regular Exercise

Studies have found that men who exercise regularly have better semen quality and higher testosterone levels than men that are more inactive. Just don’t go overboard with exercise that hugs your testicles too tight or keeps them hot for long periods of time like cycling.

Boost Up Antioxidants In The Diet

Antioxidants not only gives your immune system a “kickstart” for health but also is shown to reduce oxidative stress (which is when reactive oxygen levels reach a harmful degree in the body). Oxidative stress is also shown to cause subfertility in some men.

Relax and Minimize Stress

Not only is stress an impairment on your mood when it comes to sex but it is also shown to increase cortisol. Cortisol has a negative effect on testosterone which could lead to male subfertility.

Why TTC Needs To Be A Partnership

When trying to conceive, remember that you and your partner are in it together. Depending on what you are going through in your trying to conceive journey, it may feel one-sided sometimes, but your partner is there to support you when needed. Remember that it takes two to create a baby, so try not to place blame on one party. You will both “weather the storm” together as long as you try to keep an open mind. When feeling down about this journey, open up to your partner about your feelings. Let them be your shoulder to cry on when you need support. They might surprise you and open up to you as well and provide you comfort.

Trying to conceive can be difficult in any situation. This just proves that anyone (male or female) can have trouble conceiving. Regardless of the issue, I am here to help you and your partner along this journey. If you would like more information regarding male infertility or you would like to set up a consultation, simply schedule a free Discovery call below. There we can dive deeper into your specific situation and put a plan of action in place to support both partners on the journey.

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Selected Bibliography

Countdown, Shanna H Swan. Page 231. Carlsen, E., A. Giwercman, N. Keiding, and N. E. Skakkebaek. “Evidence for decreasing quality of semen during past 50 years.” BMJ 305(6854) (September 12, 1992): 609–13. Paragraph 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1883354/.

Countdown, Shanna H Swan. Page 233. Kleinhaus, K., M. Perrin, Y. Friedlander, O. Paltiel, D. Malaspina, and S. Harlap. “Paternal age and spontaneous abortion.” Obstetrics and Gynecology 108(2) (August 2006): 369–77. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16880308.

Countdown, Shanna H Swan. Page 234. Tiegs, A., J. Landis, N. Garrido, R. Scott, and J. Hotaling. “Total motile sperm count trend over time: Evaluation of semen analyses from 119,972 subfertile men from 2002 to 2017.” Urology 132 (October 2019): 109–16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31326545.

Countdown, Shanna H Swan. Page 234. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Early pregnancy loss.” Practice Bulletin, November 2018. https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Practice-Bulletins/Committee-on-Practice-Bulletins-Gynecology/Early-Pregnancy-Loss.