There is no way around it, men — our sperm count may decrease significantly with age. A poor diet may be a huge aspect for our dwindling viable swimmers.
This widely known fact is essential to keep in mind, since many men and women are waiting longer to have children. Many couples are placing career first and pushing “the right moment to have children” farther out as they grow older and older.
More times than not, you don’t need to rely on pills and pharmaceutical help to get your swimmers ready for action. Diet can affect a man’s sperm count significantly, and knowing what to eat to keep a healthy number is vital. Nutrient-rich, sperm-boosting whole foods are the most natural and safest choice while you and your partner are patiently waiting for that right moment to arrive.
Our ancestors have been reproducing since those romantic hunter-gatherer meals with that new thing called fire setting the mood in the cave. Nature has always provided, and it may not come as such a shock, nature provides still. Whole, delicious-tasting, nutritious foods like asparagus, avocado, walnuts, garlic and our ancestral treat of meat are all on the menu for Arnold Schwarzenegger–pumped sperm. Let’s dive in and do a few laps with these exceptional foods!
Eat red meat!
Meat. Why not start at the heart of almost every man’s taste buds. Meat may not be for everyone, and there is a wide array of other sperm-counting options, yet meat provides. Consuming large amounts of red meat has been the topic for heart health over the last decade, and research is in fact on point when it comes to portion size and moderation. However, recent research has found red meat to be an excellent way for you to keep your swimmers strong and intact.
Beef contains a high amount of zinc, and zinc is a free-radical fighter that will keep your sperm from being singled out and attacked. Four ounces of beef offers up 37 percent of your Daily Value (DV) for zinc. Zinc also lowers your risk of depression, liver disease and diabetes. A 1980 study published in The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine conducted research in regards to zinc deficiency and sperm count. The study “demonstrated that dietary restriction of zinc can affect testicular function adversely.” Beef is also a great testosterone-to-estrogen balancer, keeping your manliness functioning at optimal levels.
Lean beef is your best option to keep your ticker functioning superbly, and if you can find organic beef with little to no steroids, even better. There have been studies discussing the steroidal content in beef having inverse effects on male fertility, so choose your beef wisely. Local, organic meat should always be on your dinner table when it comes to steak night. Take a tip from your ancestors and keep it fresh and in moderation.
Walnuts for your . . . well, pun intended
Another amazing and delicious snack you may enjoy while keeping your sperm count intact is walnuts. Yes, walnuts were always at the forefront of health education class when it came time to emphasize the size of one’s manhood, testicles. It is quite interesting that in some wild way, the universe was sending us subliminal messages at such a youthful age.
Research has found walnuts to be a perfect source for sperm strength and stability. Walnuts contain an integral sperm-boosting amino acid, L-arginine, one of nature’s gifts that helps increase sperm production and volume. Research has found arginine to not only produce more sperm, but it also has a protective effect.
A 2004 study published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – General Subjects found that “L-arginine plays an important role in the physiology of spermatozoa and has been shown to enhance their metabolism and maintain their motility. Moreover, L-arginine has a protective effect on spermatozoa against the sperm plasma membrane lipid peroxidation.”
Walnuts are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, an important factor in cardiovascular health. They also reduce your risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer. Thirty grams of walnuts contain 113 percent of your omega-3 DV.
Asparagus is a superfood
We have all been ridiculed for the dreaded asparagus urine smell, but next time you can share your delightful anecdote about sperm count, folate and zinc. Not really — unless your bathroom conversations are of the more scientific kind, then have at it. This super veggie is loaded with the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy, happy and maintain that elite force of paramilitary swimmers.
Asparagus is high in folate, which has been researched for its sperm-boosting abilities. Why not get more sperm while enjoying grilled asparagus on a cool end-of-summer day! A 2002 study published in Fertility and Sterility discusses the sperm-increasing effects on subfertile men given folate and our old friend zinc, found in red, “organic” lean meat. The study found “subfertile men demonstrated a significant 74% increase in total normal sperm count and a minor increase of 4% abnormal spermatozoa. A similar trend was observed in fertile men.” Just one cup of asparagus will give you 67 percent of your folate DV.
Asparagus is also an excellent antioxidant, containing a healthy dose of vitamin C. The powerful antioxidant and vitamin C nutrients asparagus boasts will also help protect your testicles like a Secret Service guard protecting the president. Not only will eating asparagus increase and maintain your sperm count, but you will also reduce your risk of cancer, inflammation, high blood sugar and problems with digestion.
Add more garlic to your meals
In some homes, garlic is the cornerstone in every meal cooked. Two cloves, three cloves, what the heck, maybe four or six cloves. The aroma is sweet, it’s delicious, and if you ever need to dispel your children’s worries of late-night vampire attacks, you will be well prepared.
Garlic is not only useful for adding flavor and battling Dracula; it is also a perfect way to beef up your sperm, increase blood flow and shield your swimmers from free-radical vampires lurking in your body. Garlic contains vitamin B6, a notable antioxidant that assists in the free-radical fighting power of diseases like cancer and chronic inflammation. This powerhouse antioxidant is also a wonderful way for you to keep your sperm healthy.
Six cloves of garlic offers up 13 percent of your vitamin B6 DV. It may not seem like much, but in combination with other healthy foods boasting vitamin B6, the nutrient benefits add up quickly. A 2005 study published in Human Reproduction found “in a convenience sample of healthy non-smoking men from a non-clinical setting, higher antioxidant intake was associated with higher sperm numbers and motility.” This equates to more sperm with faster swim times than Michael Phelps. Next time you’re cooking, ask yourself, “Could this dish use a bit more garlic?”
Pump up the flow with ginseng
Ginseng has been used in Asia for centuries, and they will do so for centuries to come. Ginseng has amazing cardiovascular benefits, which increase blood flow and also assist in erectile dysfunction or just plain bedroom malaise. What many do not know is that ginseng also preserves sperm count.
Ginseng is a perennial plant that may be a key aspect for you to keep your sperm count intact for years as you wait for the perfect time to bring new life into the world. A 2005 study published in Sexuality and Disability discusses research pertaining to the protective benefits ginseng has on sperm count. From the in vitro test, the researchers noted, “According to this study, the ginseng extract can help preserve the sperm count.”
Not only will your swimmers remain protected and in numbers, you will also protect the rest of your body from lifestyle-changing diseases. Ginseng has been found to reduce blood sugar levels, boost immune system function, improve mood and decrease the risk for heart disease, hypertension, erectile dysfunction and even cancer.
Mexican food night? Get a boost from avocados
Avocados are delicious. When made into healthy guacamole, well, they take on a new form of taste that explodes the taste buds. Not only are avocados a great way to bring in Mexican food night, they are also an excellent way to protect your soldiers of sperm from attack by the free-radical army marching around inside you.
One of the key factors in protecting your sperm and keeping your count up to deliver is antioxidants, which battle free radicals at every turn. One notable non-enzymatic antioxidant needed for the battle is pantothenic acid. Pantothenic acid is a powerful antioxidant, which is in high volumes in avocados. Avocados contain 42 percent of your pantothenic acid DV per one cup.
A 2013 study published in the Central European Journal of Urology discusses the role antioxidants play in sperm count, production and protection. The study found “an important role in the antioxidant protective system is played by the low molecular weight, non-enzymatic antioxidants that assist enzyme activity. These include, among others, glutathione, pantothenic acid . . .” One avocado a day can put you in a position to keep your sperm intact and healthy while also putting your mind at ease for when the time is right.
Is your diet droning your most viable swimmers? Don’t hesitate with thinking that you will always be fit for duty when the time arises. It is essential to take measures in order to ensure your elite unit of navy swimmers will be ready to go at the drop of a hat. Despite the amazing benefits these foods offer in regards to keeping your sperm count healthy, ponder the other exceptional health benefits that come along with it. You can have your cake and eat it too, just by changing your diet and eating your way into a more bountiful sperm count while decreasing your risk of serious health problems.
-Stephen Seifert
Stephen Seifert is a writer, professor, adventurer and a health & fitness guru. His flare for travel and outdoor adventure allows him to enjoy culture and traditions different than his own. A healthy diet, routine fitness and constant mental development is the cornerstone to Stephen’s life.
Sources:
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/6772723
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416504001680
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028201032290
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/4/1006.short
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11195-005-8931-2
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3921845
