It’s no secret that it takes two to tango – and it takes healthy fertility in both the man and the woman to create life. With the ‘male factor’ contributing to up to 50% of fertility challenges, supporting both partners naturally when trying to conceive (TTC) is crucial.1 Hormones, overall health, lifestyle, and many other factors play into a couple’s ability to get pregnant. The good news is there are numerous ways to optimize wellness for fertility. If you’re looking for ways to support your health or your partner’s health before or during your TTC journey, you’ve come to the right place!
Five Ways to Optimize Fertility
Eat a balanced diet filled with nutrients.
Depending on your body type, which we can assess during a wellness consultation, there are varying levels of each macro-nutrient men and women need to optimize their health. Empty calories and processed foods fail to provide the essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need to thrive. A nutrient-dense diet is crucial for overall wellness and becomes even more important when trying to conceive. In addition, both women and men need adequate folate to support healthy conception – a common misconception (no pun intended!) since it’s most often just women that take prenatal vitamins while TTC.
Supplement a healthy diet.
If you work with us, you understand supplements aren’t meant to replace a healthy diet, but rather complete it. Between depleted soil nutrients2 and the average American diet filled with empty calories3, most people are not meeting their daily nutritional requirements from food alone4. We have a list of foundational supplements we recommend to all clients when they’re done healing with targeted wellness protocols, including those TTC.
Reduce stress.
When we’re stressed, our bodies redirect the hormones needed for producing sex hormones towards producing cortisol (called the pregnonalone steal – we will discuss this in a one-on-one consultation).5 This is because our nervous system prioritizes survival, putting us in fight-or-flight mode even if we’re not in real danger. By choosing activities that activate the parasympathetic nervous system, we can reduce stress and its impact on our bodies. When trying to conceive (TTC), consider spending time on hobbies you enjoy, relaxing in an Epsom salt bath, getting a massage, practicing yoga or other low-impact exercises, or engaging in any other stress-relieving activities.
Reduce toxins in the body.
When our bodies become overwhelmed with toxins from our environment, food, and homes, fertility can suffer.6 Toxins can disrupt endocrine and reproductive systems in both men and women, and even harm fetal viability. Some toxins and heavy metals, like PCBs and DDT, are directly linked to infertility, reducing fertility by up to 50%. Before trying to conceive (TTC), we often recommend specific detoxes to give your body the best foundation for creating and supporting new life. We can also use functional medicine labs to measure toxin levels in your body, ensuring there’s no guesswork involved.
Prioritize Sleep
Quality sleep is crucial for optimizing fertility because it regulates the hormones essential for reproduction. Adequate sleep and a regulated diurnal rhythm helps maintain a balanced production of hormones like melatonin and cortisol, which play a vital role in the menstrual cycle and sperm production. Poor sleep can disrupt these hormonal balances, leading to irregular menstrual cycles and reduced sperm quality. By prioritizing restful sleep, you can enhance your body’s natural fertility and increase the chances of a healthy conception.
Fun fact: in a healthy diurnal rhythm, cortisol is naturally lowest at 9:00 PM. This is the best time to get in bed and wind down, otherwise you risk getting a second wind as cortisol slowly increases. Following a consistent sleep schedule and prioritizing getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night is not just crucial for fertility, but overall wellness.
Additional Ways to Support a Man’s Fertility Naturally
Keep it cool.
This one is an easy lifestyle shift that just takes some awareness! To keep sperm healthy while TTC, it’s important to keep the testicles cool and away from the body (as much as possible). Some common tips include avoiding baths and hot tubs in the weeks or months prior to TTC. In addition, wearing undergarments made of cotton promote airflow, as opposed to polyester, which doesn’t allow heat and sweat to dissipate quickly.
Boost testosterone with heavy lifting.
Did you know that strength training can boost testosterone levels to promote muscle growth? Studies have shown that weightlifting and outdoor activities are correlated with higher sperm concentration, and even heavy lifting at work has been proven to boost total sperm count and concentration.7 This is why exercise is a primary focus in our bio-individualized male fertility wellness programs, whether or not you choose to test actual hormone levels with a functional medicine lab.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5675222/ ↩︎
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/ ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428130/ ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129155/#:~:text=Of%20the%20340%20micronutrient%20entries,54.2%25%20of%20the%20minerals%20required. ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684134/#:~:text=Pregnenolone%20steal%20occurs%20when%20cortisol,instead%20of%20the%20intermediary%20progesterone. ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129155/#:~:text=Of%20the%20340%20micronutrient%20entries,54.2%25%20of%20the%20minerals%20required. ↩︎
- https://hms.harvard.edu/news/physically-demanding-work-tied-male-fertility ↩︎
