The concentration of sperm in semen, also known as sperm count, has halved in the West since the 1970s. The finding that got less attention: Even the new low is still well within a normal range for sperm.
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Besides having regular sex, there are other important things men can do to improve their semen quality (and chances of fathering a child):
- Maintain a healthy weight: Being significantly overweight and obese can mess with hormones, like testosterone, that are important for reproductive health.
- Don’t smoke, do drugs, or drink too much: Smoking is heavily associated with infertility. There’s more limited — but still concerning — evidence that using marijuana and drinking heavily hampers men’s fertility, too.
- Stay away from hot tubs and saunas: Exposing the testicles to hot temperatures is widely accepted to decrease sperm production. The fertility experts I spoke to suggested heated seats in cars, sitting for long periods of time, and holding laptops on the groin can have similar effects.
- Consider boxers: There’s some evidence that men who wear boxers have higher sperm concentrations than brief-wearers.
- Exercise and eat a healthy diet: Exercise improves blood testosterone and sperm production.
Read full, original post: Sperm counts are falling. This isn’t the reproductive apocalypse – yet
