5 Things Killing Your Sperm Count

If you and the wife are trying to have a child, you’re going to start hearing a lot about her ovulation and your sperm count. There are a few things you can do on your end to keep things moving along — ah hem — swimmingly.

The good news is that you have control over all but one of these top five reasons sperm counts go down. They might require some lifestyle changes, but hey, what’s a bigger lifestyle change than fatherhood?

Obesity and diabetes.

The exact same inflammation that ravages your cardiovascular system also goes to town on your boys. Poor circulation interferes with sperm production, and nerve damage due to diabetes can send sperm into your own bladder, rather than where you want it.

Smoking.

Like you didn’t already have enough reasons to quit! Smoking tobacco and probably weed (though less studies have been done on this) not only has deleterious effects on circulation. It can also affect the motility and DNA of sperm. Your wife’s exposure to your second hand smoke can also result in a child with lower birth weight. You don’t want that, FYI.

Beefing up unnaturally.

Testosterone overload and anabolic steroids can not only shrink your testicles, they also lower your sperm count. Your body on steroids thinks it already has enough sperm, so it doesn’t bother to make any more. This can be reversed if stopped in time.

Cancer treatments.

Do not stop chemo or radiation if you need them! If, God forbid, you’ve been diagnosed with The Big C, you can store sperm before treatment. Considering how sick you get when these life saving measures are employed to combat cancer, you can imagine what they are doing to sperm, which are quickly dividing cells chemo is designed to destroy.

Not having a balanced sex life.

As is all things, moderation is key, including sex with partners (and oneself). Too much ejaculation can mess with your sperm count, and too little ejaculation can harm your sperm health. Every other day seems to be optimal for good numbers, while daily ejaculation is deemed just fine for healthier sperm overall. We trust you know how to handle it from here.