Improving Sperm Motility

Often, difficulties with conception are related to issues with sperm. There are three main issues associated with sperm, including:

• Sperm Motility – This means that the sperm struggle to navigate through the cervical mucus and female reproductive system.
• Sperm Count – The likelihood of conception is lowered due to low sperm counts in the semen.
• Sperm Morphology – Sperm are not formed properly, meaning that they might be unfit for fertilization.

Luckily, sperm motility can be improved in several different ways.

IMPROVING SPERM MOTILITY WITH DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES

If you’re experiencing issues with sperm motility, making changes in your diet and lifestyle can help.

Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are two of the main issues that can impact your sperm motility. These bad habits also affect the sperm count and overall sperm health in a negative manner.

Nutrition can also affect sperm motility, especially because diets low in carnitine are thought to cause issues with regard to sperm. L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnintine are two amino acids thought to improve sperm motility by providing sperm with energy via the transference of fatty acids to the proper location within the body. Red meats are especially rich in these amino acids.

Deficiencies in certain nutrients, especially vitamin A and C and zinc, can also impact sperm quality and motility. Healthy sperm production is also promoted through consumption of adequate amounts of folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. If you find it difficult to consume the right types of foods or nutrients required for healthy sperm health, high-quality supplements can help. There are some supplements specifically intended to promote sperm motility, making them ideal choices for men suffering from these issues.

LOW SPERM MOTILITY AND HORMONE DEFICIENCIES

A deficiency in testosterone is another common culprit of low sperm motility. However, this issue is easily resolvable. In fact, there are many ways in which you can naturally increase testosterone levels, including:

• Weight Loss – Being overweight can severely impact both your general health and testosterone levels. By taking efforts to lose weight, you can improve both simultaneously.
• Intense Exercise Routines – While exercise is generally good for your health, rounds of short, intense workouts can help to build your testosterone levels. However, it is important to keep in mind that longer, more moderate workouts will not produce the same effects.
• Increase Levels of Vitamin D – Healthy doses of sunshine or taking supplements for vitamin D are essential. This is because vitamin D has been proven to help increase testosterone levels.
• Reduce Stress – Stress triggers the body to produce cortisol, a hormone that blocks the effects of testosterone. Taking the initiative to reduce stress through exercise and meditation can help.
• Medication – Sometimes, modifying your lifestyle isn’t enough. Fortunately, there are medications that can help in these instances.

LOW SPERM MOTILITY AND PHYSICAL AND GENETIC ISSUES

In some instances, improving low sperm motility is unfortunately impossible. If a genetic defect is the cause of low motility, there is no way to correct the issue through the use of supplements, medicines, or hormones.

In other cases, low motility is caused by physical defects such as variocele. While the physical problem can be corrected, sperm motility might not improve as a result.

It is important to seek a proper diagnosis for genetic and physical issues. If you find that neither a genetic or physical problem is the source of low sperm motility, you can turn to lifestyle modifications or other methods to effect positive changes.