Temperature is key to sperm production. Strangely this piece of knowledge is one of the few that’s actually evidenced based. The male reproductive organs are located outside of the body for a reason: to keep them at temperatures lower than our normal body temperature. 

1. Use loose clothes
2. Avoid hot spas or prolonged heat to the scrotum
3. Don’t keep your laptop on your lap

Simple easy steps that will make a difference to you.

Sperm stay alive for 48hrs in the body, hence if they are in the womb when your wife ovulates, the egg will fertilize. So, in a woman with 28-day cycles, sex on day 10,12 and 14 or more often, will ensure the eggs and sperm come in contact. Eggs are released on day 12 and will last for 72 hrs. 

Pronged abstinence is not going to improve your chances and will probably result in lots of dead sperm in the ejaculate.

It makes sense to eat the right foods for improving the vitality of your sperm. Eating foods that contain antioxidants would reduce the amount of free radicals that damage your cells and will help maintain your hormone balance.

Here are a few guidelines on what kinds of foods to eat:

1. Vegetables. Eat more vegetables eg broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts, helps maintain testosterone and improve sperm quality
2. Sugar. Blood sugar spikes lead to decreased testosterone.
3. Vitamin D increases levels of testosterone also helps battle covid 19
4. Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) from foods like whey protein, will boost testosterone.
5. Healthy Fats. like that found in avocadoes and nuts and also non processed saturated (animal fats). These are essential for building testosterone.
6. Zinc. Very important for testosterone production. Good sources are raw milk, raw cheese, beans, and yogurt. found in oysters, crab, red meat, poultry, and beans

Some Malaysians love soya bean juice, tofu and soy pudding (tau fu fa). It’s a good source of protein but it’s bad news for men. Why? Because soy protein raises the body’s level of oestrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels. 

Testosterone is needed for sperm to be produced and also for it to grow.

Yup, this is the toughest thing for most people – quitting smoking. Studies have found that smoking has negative effects on sperm health including decreased sperm counts, decreased sperm motility and sperm shape. Need I say more?

Sometimes it is your environment that is at fault for reducing your fertility. Toxic chemicals emanating from your workplace could be the problem. Protective gear is the way forward.

This problem is more prevalent among men who work as farmers, painters, metal workers and varnishers who have a much higher chance of infertility compared to men who work in other professions. The cause could be that the chemicals found in paint, varnish, metal working, and farming (pesticides, for example) may damage sperm.

Fat on men converts testosterone into oestrogen (the female hormone)!  Several studies have noted that weight was associated with an increasing oestrogen and decreasing testosterone. An upset hormone balance leads to lower sperm count.

Excessive alcohol can decrease your fertility. Moderate drinking is probably okay. However, if you’re going through IVF treatment, stopping alcohol is good for you and your wife.

They found that the more the men drank the lower the sperm count, normal sperm shape decreased, and sperm motility worsened.