Overview
Very few people know that sperm count decreases steadily with the age of 40 years and above. Low sperm count is also known as “Oligospermia.” This is quite a serious concern for every man. A couple planning to expand their family needs to consider several aspects in which male fertility is also a priority. It takes around 3 months to produce new sperm. So you can assume how important is sperm health.
Ever thought: Why is the sperm count decreasing? Why are men facing fertility issues? What causes the low sperm count? Does the diet affect sperm health?
To know the answers and detailed information on how to enhance sperm count in a body naturally so go through this blog and gain the knowledge.
What are the factors that determine Sperm health?
Do you know?
A healthy sperm is based on 3 factors: quantity, moment, and structure.
Quantity determines the sperm count in a single ejaculation (15 million sperms per milliliter) where fertility is most likely to happen. Low sperm count can lead to infertility.
The Moment is the sperm motility in a forward direction to find the egg.
Structure is the shape of sperm which has to be oval with a tail attachment that creates a force action to move forward.
All these 3 factors are important and play a vital role in fertility.
Symptoms of low-count sperm
The common symptoms for low sperm count can be:
- Family Planning: A couple planning to become parents cannot conceive due to less sperm production in men. Apart from sperm count, there can be other reasons like hereditary chromosomal abnormalities, dilated testicular veins, or hormonal imbalance.
- Testicle Problems: This can be stated as a bump near the testicles, experiencing discomfort, which results in low sperm count.
- Facial and Body Hair: Another reason that can result in low sperm count is less facial or body hair. Also, if someone experiences swelling or pain in the testicles, he can get problems with sperm count.
- Erectile Dysfunction: An issue with sexual function can create a low sperm count, like low sex drive or erection maintenance.
How does food play an important role in improving sperm count?
Today, almost 70 million couples in the reproductive stage worldwide experience problems with family planning. There are many reasons that affect the sperm count in men. Some of them are:
- Age Factor- 40 years or above
- Low level of Testosterone
- Smoking
- Overweight
- Unhealthy Diet
- Alcohol, Drugs
- Sexually Transmitted Infection
- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure, etc.
The above-mentioned factors and unhealthy lifestyle can be the reason for the low sperm count. Fortunately, Ayurveda offers several therapies, natural remedies, healthy lifestyles, dietary modifications, and medicines made from herbs to treat the issue effectively.
Ayurveda is a holistic approach known to treat via medium, called nature. Our nature has every solution for our body's problems. In Ayurvedic terms, low sperm count can be associated with Shukrakshaya. Low sperm count is caused by Vata(air) and Pitta doshas when the mating process begins. The Vata dosha is associated with quick and extreme sensitivity to touch and the Pitta dosha is responsible for the thinning of semen, which results in pre-ejaculation and further low- sperm count.
The food you intake plays an important role in sperm health. You may have seen that food rich in sugar, carbohydrates, saturated fats, and artificial ingredients affect the ejaculation process. Therefore the quality of sperm. Health is directly related to your performance in sexual function—this is so, as sexual function is closely related to hormonal and cardiovascular health in men. Healthy sex hormones like testosterone are required to regulate the sex life while a low level can create a problem. Similarly, cardiovascular health governs the blood flow needed for the erection in sexual function. So, what is the role of diet?
A balanced diet can save one from all diseases and keep the hormones regulated. This will improve the sexual functions in the body. Hence, a healthy diet and avoiding junk foods is very important.
What are the best Indian foods to consume to boost male fertility and increase sperm health?
Eating healthy that nature has given us will always bring positive results. As seen diet is linked with sexual health, so one dealing with low sperm count or premature ejaculation should focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables. The low fertility in men can be because of unhealthy lifestyles, especially food as these days people consume more processed, high-fat food.
The 7 best foods to increase fertility in male :
One of the major ingredients of Ayurveda, Ashwagandha has proved to manage the stress level and increase the sperm count.
How to use it?
You can mix 4 pinches of ashwagandha powder with a warm glass of milk and drink it twice a day.
Garlic has a component called Allicin in it which promotes sperm health and physical strength in men. Along with regulating blood flow in the body, garlic can help in sperm production.
How to use it?
You can consume 1-2 cloves of garlic per day for about 2 months to increase the sperm in semen.
Bananas are fruits rich in vitamins A, B1, and C and contain an enzyme called Bromelain which aids in low fertility or low sperm count. With the increase in stamina, bananas also increase the mobility of sperm and sperm production.
How to use it?
Bananas can be eaten during breakfast or as a snack meal.
It has Vitamin C and E which helps to stimulate sperm health.
How to use it?
If consumed daily it plays a positive role in increasing sperm health.
Turmeric has many health benefits and boosts fertility. It has been found that curcumin in turmeric is responsible for men's fertility.
How to use it?
You can add it to soups, vegetables, and healthy snacks.
Consuming moringa leaves can increase fertility in men and women. By nourishing the body, moringa helps to maintain the health of reproductive organs and improve sperm count in men.
How to use it?
You can use 500mg of moringa leaf extract or 3g of moringa seeds. It can be used in the form of powder by adding it to tea or as a fresh vegetable.
Fenugreek has many benefits including libido i.e. desire for sex. It will directly contribute to improving sperm count and health.
How to use it?
To consume fenugreek, you can add some seeds to water and soak overnight. Then remove the seeds and drink it in the morning.
Note: These are natural remedies that can be very helpful but we, Dr. Sharda Ayurveda, advise you to consult a health expert before consuming them. You can also opt for Ayurvedic treatment from Dr. Sharda Ayurveda for best results.
Food to avoid that decreases Sperm Health
Eating healthy is all that directly relates to your health. Food items play a very important role as eating unhealthy food just invites other problems in the body. An unhealthy diet such as hypercaloric food, excessive saturated fats, and a high glycemic index can invite diseases along with infertility due to low sperm count in men. There are several foods responsible for infertility in male. They are:
Processed meats are marked to bring illness to the body. Items like salami, beef jerky, bacon, sausage, ham, etc taste delicious but are unhealthy and have the risk of cancer. Though they taste good but are harmful to health because of the chemicals used in their production. Several studies have proved that intake of soy food can cause sperm concentration.
Carbonated and energy drinks have become trendy among the population. But do you know that it gives rise to fertility issues and low sperm count? Consuming it daily can decrease the sperm count up to 30% in men. Moreover, these drinks have high sugar content which can produce oxidative stress in the body, causing more damage to the sperm's health.
Everyone today is working and in this scenario, people largely depend on canned or tinned food items. But these packed foods contain Bisphenol (BPA) which gives a similar effect as soy. Consuming it frequently will lower testosterone levels in the body and sperm profile may be negatively affected. Therefore, one should cook food at home and then consume it so that the body gets nutrients and strength, not illness.
Dairy products are good for the body only if sperm health is not included. Also, dairy products like cheese and full-cream milk can badly affect the reproductive system. These products may contain the residue of medicines given to animals and further react in the human body causing low sperm count. If you are planning to become a parent, you should take care of your diet by avoiding cheesy and high-fat milk products.
Alcohol is not good in any terms. It damages the whole body including reproductive parts. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can create problems of low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, and low testosterone levels. Alcohol also dehydrates the body which provokes the underlying problem. So, you should limit or give up alcohol to improve fertility.
Food products like burgers, cakes, cookies, french fries, fried chicken, biscuits, etc. contain high trans fat. This largely supports the low sperm count and other reproductive health issues. Excessive trans-fat causes obesity in the body and obesity is one of the major causes of fertility issues in males. Thus, to overcome infertility and enhance the sperm count keep the BMI (Bio Mass Index) controlled.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned are the causes and reasons for male infertility. Also, some of the best fertility foods for men are included. Precautions are a must to treat the underlying issues, so one must cut down on the given products to improve the fertility health in the body. Moreover, exercise, yoga, meditation, and medicines play their own role in increasing the sperm count.
Ayurveda has shown positive results in treating the reproduction problem in men. Many patients get relief from Ayurvedic treatment available at Dr. Sharda Ayurveda. Not only medicines, Ayurveda also suggests modifying the lifestyle and diet along with some yoga and exercises to recover fast. If you are also facing some issues of fertility, you can contact Dr. Sharda Ayurveda where we provide personalized treatment to our patients.
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