When we think of a pregnancy wish, we quickly think of what is in a woman's hands. For example, taking care of a healthy body, good nutrition and exercise. But let's not forget the man! Prenatal conception is the stage where the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell. A crucial step if there is a desire for pregnancy. 50% of conception lies with the man.
Both the man and the woman affect the quality of conception: women on the quality of the egg men on the sperm. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at what a man can do to ensure good quality sperm. You'll also be briefly taken through the process of how sperm are created in men.
How the creation of the sperm cell occurs
Let's start with the process. Creating a sperm is a complex process that can take up to three months! It all starts in the hypothalamus in the brain. You can think of this part as a conductor that creates and controls hormones. In this hypothalamus, a hormone is released (Gonadotropin-releasing hormone GnRH) this hormone starts its journey from there to the pituitary gland (also in the brain) and signals the release of two hormones (FSH and LH) that are needed for sperm production. These hormones travel through the bloodstream to the testes (testicles).
Once arrived in the testes, one hormone (LH) causes testosterone to be produced and the other hormone (FSH) causes sperm-forming tubules to be produced. On average, this phase lasts 50-60 days. When the sperm cells are created, they are still infertile and have yet to mature. This is where testosterone comes into play, as it affects sperm maturation. It still takes about 14 days before the maturation phase is complete.
So, from a-z it takes over two months for sperm cells to be created. The man's lifestyle of three months ago affects the quality right now. Lifestyle greatly affects quality. So are you living unhealthy (smoking, drinking, not exercising or exercising little)? That affects overall health and therefore sperm health.
What can you do to increase sperm quality?
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to increase quality. Below you will find an overview of different factors that have an influence and, of course, tips on how to shape that.
- Stimulate hormone production through healthy eating
Healthy and adequate nutrition is what you need for a healthy hormone balance. Where do you start with healthy nutrition? At least focus on the macros: healthy fats, proteins and at least 500 grams of vegetables a day and up to two pieces of fruit. You can think of this as a base. For example, it is better to get fats from avocado, oily fish and nuts than from pizza or snacks from the fryer.
- Support your body with supplements
If you want healthy sperm, you can support your body with certain minerals and vitamins from a good multi vitamin preparation. Vitamin b6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. Zinc contributes to sperm production and is good for normal sperm quality. Selenium contributes to sperm motility, quality and production.
- Avoid sauna and tight underwear
For proper sperm production, a temperature of the testicles of about 34 degrees is best. To maintain that temperature, it is best to avoid the sauna for a while. Tight underwear can also affect the temperature of your testicles. Therefore, prefer to choose loose-fitting underwear made of natural material such as cotton or wool so that the temperature remains around 34 degrees. Long sitting also causes the testicles to heat up, so interrupt sitting during the day. The next point goes into that in more detail.
- Exercise enough
If you sit a lot during the day, you can very simply add exercise by taking a break every hour. This can be a short walk or exercise. If you're thinking, "I don't have time for that," think about 1 minute of jumping jacks, lunges, squads, or running up and down the stairs. This helps keep your body healthy. Of course, it is healthy to exercise anyway, so focus on that during the week as well.
- Relaxation during the day
When the body experiences too much stress, energy goes to the stress system instead of to the production of reproductive hormones. Therefore, ensure relaxation in the body. This can be done, for example, by doing breathing exercises or a short meditation. Choose times in the day when this is convenient in the schedule and put it in the calendar in advance. This way you make space for and it is easier to keep it up. Think of small moments like conscious breathing in the car on the way to your appointment or when you go to get drinks.
So there are a lot of steps you can take to produce better quality sperm. Would you like personal advice on how to improve your hormonal health or are you curious about your hormonal status? Then you can do hormone test men for more insight and a clear overview of the hormonal household. Our orthomolecular therapists will be happy to help you.