Two in every five cases of couples struggling to conceive is due to the male partner. Another two are the female, and the last one can’t be attributed to either, it’s categorised as “unexplained”. Despite the even spread of cause, men’s fertility has historically been given a lot less focus. It has only been recently that studies have uncovered sperm quality decreases after the age of 40, reducing the overall chance of pregnancy and the increasing risks to the foetus.
Age is one factor, but increasingly research is finding lifestyle factors like drinking, smoking, stress, use of plastic and general health can have significant impact on fertility in women and men. They are the leading factor contributing to a global decline in fertility rates and sperm health. Men today have 50% less sperm than their grandfathers.
Thankfully, lifestyle factors are something you can change to improve sperm quality. Unlike female eggs, which are set from before women are even born, fresh sperm is produced every 60-70 days, meaning there is ample opportunity for men to improve their fertility health through diet and lifestyle changes.
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Making Healthy Sperm
In addition to cutting smoking, reducing alcohol, caffeine, stress and getting active, ensuring intake of essential nutrients can have a big impact. Getting all these minerals and vitamins from what you eat is ideal, but not always possible, so most men would benefit from supplemental support.
Men's Preconception Supplement MVP
While in women’s prenatal supplements, we know a form of folate is the most important element, in men’s prenatal vitamins, it’s Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant produced by the body that's important for cell growth and maintenance. There’s also evidence that it may benefit heart health and physical performance as well as improving semen quality, and especially sperm motility.
User Guide
Like with prenatals for women, it’s recommended men start taking a prenatal vitamin three months before trying to conceive to get the most out of them. It’s usually two capsules once a day, but each is different so read the label and speak with your GP.
