Male Fertility: 10 Lifestyle Habits That Boost Conception Chances
Guest post by Gerben Houtsma, Co-Founder of Juno Fertility App
You might think fertility is mostly about timing and the female cycle. In fact, in nearly half of all conception challenges, sperm health plays a role. Yet, when most partners start trying for a baby, the male side of the equation barely gets a mention. Let’s dive in why this is and what you can do to improve your chance of success.
Why sperm health is important for pregnancy
Sperm health is an important factor that contributes to chances of conception. Actually, in 45% of the fertility challenges, sperm health plays a vital big role. And the role of healthy semen goes further than just chances of conception. Some sperm have DNA damage, also called DNA fragmentation. High DNA fragmentation in semen is linked to higher miscarriage risks and other developmental issues. This tells us sperm health goes beyond higher chances of conceiving and should therefore be a key concern early in your journey.Not many of us are aware of it, but sperm health is also relevant for men who are not actively trying to conceive. Recent research by Stanford University shows that sperm health can serve as a biomarker for overall health and longevity. So, sperm health is relevant for every man, regardless of your stage in life and plan for the future.
Why sperm health is often overlooked in a TTC journey
When partners start their journey towards conception, the first step is often to look at the female cycle. Partners start tracking the menstrual cycle and aim to time intercourse to increase chances of success. Intuitively this makes sense. There’s often limited awareness and knowledge among both men and women on what the male partner can do. For men, it tends to feel out of their control and for women it can feel lonely to not see combined efforts in the journey. Luckily, there are many improvements possible among men to significantly improve their sperm health and by doing so increase their chances of conceiving. Let’s unbundle those.
What actually contributes to sperm health
There are many factors influencing sperm health and male fertility. The genetic component is there, but definitely not the only one. Medical treatments, such as antidepressants, cancer treatment, blood pressure drugs and anabolic steroids can highly affect semen. For most men, these are not the most actionable and always consult a doctor in case you want to know more or make changes to such treatments.There are also more everyday actionable factors such as lifestyle and heat exposure. These two components are the most direct and rewarding elements to focus on for everyday men. How? Keep reading to find our 10 tips
What you can do about sperm quality
Choose a healthy diet
A healthy diet is recommended for all men who want to live healthier and feel better. But for sperm specifically, research shows a clear impact of a healthy diet on sperm health. Focus on natural and minimally processed foods such as fruits, meat, veggies and dairy. And of course, hydration matters. So make sure you drink enough water during the day. For improving your nutrition, it can be helpful to track your daily intake. Tracking gives you better insight into your eating habits and also helps build motivation and consistency. You can track your diet, supplements, and hydration in a diary or by using an app like Juno, which is focused on male fertility specifically.
Exercise regularly
Make sure you exercise regularly. Movement in general is a strong contributor to your overall health. Even going for a walk is a good daily habit to improve many health indicators, among which your swimmers. If you do not work out yet, don’t worry. You don't have to start running or lifting heavy weights 5 times a week. Small steps can already help. If you are not certain how to add this in your daily life or how to start you can consult a doctor/ physical therapist or personal trainer to help you out.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is not just bad for your lungs and increases the chance of severe medical diseases like cancer, it also highly affects the quality of your sperm. It harms your semen across all key factors: volume, sperm density, motility (how well sperm swim), viability, and normal morphology (shape and structure of sperm). This might not be the easiest habit to change, but one of the most important. If you struggle with quitting, consult a health care professional. There are also products and apps to help you quit smoking effectively.
Check medicine
Several medical treatments may affect male fertility. Think of (not limited to) antidepressants, cancer treatment, blood pressure drugs and anabolic steroids. Many kinds of illegal/recreational drugs also have an impact on fertility. If you're trying to conceive and take medication, ask a healthcare professional if any of them could affect your fertility and how to proceed. Never stop medications without consulting a doctor.
Limit alcohol consumption
Regularly consuming alcohol, like daily drinking, can cause a drop in testosterone, which subsequently harms the sperm production. Heavy alcohol consumption is also linked to lower morphology and higher DNA fragmentation, both important semen quality measures.
Watch out for toxins
Exposure to toxins such as pesticides, lead and other toxins can affect sperm quantity and quality in the long term. Make sure you limit exposure by taking the right safety measures such as goggles and safety clothing to avoid direct exposure.
Your work environment might be close to toxins. We won't ask you to switch jobs, but you can always ask your superior about possible safety measures.
Don’t use standard lubricants
Most everyday lubricants harm sperm motility and viability. You can use natural oils or specialized fertility-friendly lubricants, which are available on the market. These are mostly water-based with ingredients like hydroxyethylcellulose, designed to mimic natural cervical mucus and allow sperm to swim freely. With the right products, you can support sperm health without compromising the experience.
No laptops on your lap
Small habits like not placing a laptop on your lap are quick wins. You don’t want to overheat your testicles! Make sure you put your laptop on a table (or try a standing desk).
Wear loose underwear
This is a quick fix. Tight underwear may be linked to a higher scrotal temperature than optimal. Make sure you wear loose underwear when you can.
Avoid saunas and jacuzzis
Last but not least, avoid hot tubs, saunas and jacuzzis at all times. One of the easiest wins in limiting heat exposure is to avoid these increasingly popular wellness activities. Scrotal temperature is the temperature of the scrotum, which needs to be 2-4°C (3.6-7.2°F) cooler than core body temperature (around 34°C or 93.2°F) for optimal sperm production.
For how long should I work on my sperm health?
The sperm production cycle, or spermatogenesis, is a continuous, roughly 74-day process in the testicles where immature cells develop into mature sperm in the testicles. This includes multiple stages of cell division, maturation, and quality control. However, this doesn't mean that changing your lifestyle for just 74 days is enough. Sperm quality is influenced not only during production, but also by the health of the supporting systems, such as hormone regulation, inflammation levels and overall metabolic balance, which respond more slowly to lifestyle changes.
Moreover, after sperm are produced, they still require time to mature and gain motility in the epididymis, a process that takes another 2–3 weeks. This means the sperm used for conception reflect your health over several months, not just the last few weeks.
For these reasons, fertility specialists recommend allowing 3-6 months to prepare before actively trying for a baby. This timeframe makes sure multiple sperm cycles are influenced by healthier habits. It gives the body time to stabilize key factors that affect sperm quality.
Most importantly, sperm health is not something that should be “optimized” once and then ignored. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle over time supports consistent sperm quality and improves the likelihood of successful conception.
When is it time to get tested?
It is important to start a healthy lifestyle as early as possible in a TTC journey. If a pregnancy has not happened after a year of sex without birth control, it is recommended to get tested at a certified medical clinic. Note that you can always do a test yourself and ask for advice in case you prefer to detect issues early.
How to stick to these habits?
The ten habits above are proven to help, but knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently are two different things. Many men find that tracking their progress and getting daily reminders makes these lifestyle changes more manageable. That's why I co-founded male fertility app Juno. Juno is a fertility app built with world-class urologists to help men take control of their reproductive health. The app provides daily education around sperm health and guides you with actionable steps to implement these habits and improve your overall reproductive health. Use discount code IVFWARRIOR10 for 10% off Juno premium.
Disclaimer: JUNO is a partner of The IVF Warrior.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog.