While diet has not been linked to sperm count, lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol abuse and drug abuse, particularly the use of cocaine or marijuana, can also affect your sperm production. Fortunately, once you quit these habits, sperm counts should rebound within six months.
Herbicides and pesticides can also be toxic to sperm, which is why decreasing sperm counts have been seen in certain farming areas and other regions where people have been exposed to hazardous chemicals. Likewise, long-term illness, chemotherapy agents and anabolic steroids can lead to a sperm count drop.
Heat is known to be bad for sperm production, so if you're trying to conceive, skip the hot tub and super-snug underwear.
When To Get Tested
Generally, if a couple has been trying to conceive for more than one year, it's recommended that both the man and the woman see a physician.
Men should visit a urologist or fertility specialist for an exam and to have their sperm tested. If a man knows that he may be a risk for sperm production problems, he should go to the doctor earlier. For example, if he has received chemotherapy, or if no ejaculate is released during ejaculation, an earlier visit is warranted. Men with female partners who are 38 years old or older should also seek a work-up before they have been trying for a year. (It's not clear what impact age has on sperm count; it appears to affect motility more than count.)
Treatment advances and technology has opened many doors to couples taking trouble conceiving. While some men may be treated for varicoceles, hormonal imbalances or blockages, other couples may benefit from in vitro fertilization (IVF), a method of assisted reproduction in which the egg is inseminated with a sperm outside the body. Even in men with very low sperm counts, there may be enough sperm in the testicle to use in an IVF procedure.
For most men, however, staying healthy can keep sperm healthy. So add a high sperm count to your list of reasons to keep fit and to pay attention to your health.
