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[Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical practitioner. Any medical information is strictly my opinion based on research and personal experience, and not to be taken as advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for your medical needs. Read my full disclaimer here.]
A diagnosis of male-factor infertility doesn’t mean you need to jump to infertility treatments right away; in fact, there are a number of supplements + foods that have been shown to increase male fertility, depending on the issue. After reading the research + consulting with my dietician about it, here are the best foods + supplements to improve male fertility (ask a doctor before taking any new medication!):
1. Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
–Can improve sperm count, concentration, motility, + morphology.
–Take a supplement like FertilAid; it includes CoQ10, as well as L-Carnitine, Maca, Zinc, + Vitamin B12.
–Best food sources: organ meats, fatty fish, + meat in general…but also in oils, nuts, and some fruits + veggies (spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, oranges, + strawberries)
–CoQ10 can increase fertility for women, too — check out my post on that here.
2. Omega-3s (Fish!)
–Like CoQ10, Omega 3s can improve sperm count, concentration, motility, + morphology.
–Take a 1200 mg supplement like this one from Nature’s Bounty
–Best food sources: fish (especially salmon!) and nuts + seeds
–Omega-3s can also increase fertility for women, too — check out my post on that here.
3. Selenium (Brazil nuts!)
–Selenium can improve sperm concentration, motility, + morphology.
–I don’t recommend taking a supplement…it’s much easier to simply eat 1 brazil nut a day. That’s all you need to get your daily intake!
4. Zinc
–Zinc can improve sperm concentration + motility.
–Taking the FertilAid mentioned above should take care of your zinc intake (and your CoQ10 — it’s worth buying!).
–Best food sources: Meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, + nuts
5. A specific food worth mentioning: Walnuts
–Walnuts + male fertility are one of the few studies that have been done on actual food rather than supplements.
–Walnuts are a great source of α-linolenic acid (a plant source of omega-3), antioxidants, and folic acid.
–The study found that 75 g of walnuts per day increased sperm motility, vitality, + morphology.
–And if you didn’t notice, nuts were listed as a great source of ALL of my top 5 vitamins + nutrients to increase male fertility! (Hence why you should always keep a bowl of nuts on your countertop…read my post about more practical lifestyle changes to improve your fertility!)
