If you’re a woman, you are likely very enthusiastic about getting all your ducks in a row when it comes Trying To Conceive (TTC). Hopefully you are already eating a healthy balanced diet and taking your prenatal supplements. But it’s important to know that your partner should be doing the same!

It is a common misconception that sperm quality is not as important as egg health when it comes to fertility – sperm makes up half the embryo and therefore it is half the picture, especially if you have been having any fertility struggles.

The cycle of producing sperm takes 2 months. This means that we have a 2-3 month window before conception where sperm quality can be influenced positively by changes in by nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle factors. There are lots of things your partner can be doing to help make your journey to parenthood more straightforward, especially if you’ve been struggling to conceive. Dr Michelle Hone has broken down her top tips below.

DIET

It is important that your partner is of a health bodyweight as being overweight can cause issues with fertility. The optimal diet to achieve may be a nutrient-rich Mediterranean style diet, as this diet shown in research to positively impact male fertility. This means a diet full of a variety of vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, fish and lean meats.

OMEGA 3

Men who are trying to conceive should have fish as part of their diet and especially oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring. Oily fish in particular contain omega 3 fatty acids, which have amazing anti-inflammatory properties and are great for our overall health. But don’t worry if your partner doesn’t eat oily fish, they can supplement and get all those beneficial omega 3s through Proceive Omega 3. Research shows that supplementing with omega 3 fish oil for 3 months results in the sperm DNA damage reducing from 22% to 9%! Damage in the DNA of the sperm can result in difficulty getting pregnant, early pregnancy and chromosomal abnormalities.

A PRENATAL MULTIVITAMIN

A prenatal is not just for women! When trying to conceive, partners should supplement with a multi-vitamin that contains folic acid, in the form, methylfolate. Vitamin B9 is also an important nutrient in decreasing DNA damage of sperm.

CoQ10

Sperm quality naturally declines with age. So if your partner is over the age of 35 years, they should consider supplementing with CoQ10. Research shows that supplementation with 200-300mg of CoQ10 daily can result in an increase in sperm count and motility, as well as improve overall sperm health. Proceive Max Men is suitable for men over the age of 35 years, and contains CoQ10, so Proceive have got you covered.

MINIMISE ALCOHOL AND SMOKING

Your partner should minimise alcohol consumption and stop smoking or taking recreational drugs when TTC, as all of these lifestyle factors have been shown to negatively impact fertility.

YOUR PHONE AFFECTS FERTILITY?

Men who are trying to conceive should avoid keeping their phones in their pocket! This radiation has been shown to reduce sperm count, motility and morphology. So keep your phone away from the important parts!

 

STAY COOL DOWN THERE

An increase in temperature in the groin area has been shown to impair sperm quality. Men should avoid sitting all day (take little breaks), very hot baths, showers, saunas, steam rooms, as well as tight fitting underwear!