Top 10 Food to Increase Sperm Count

Top 10 Food to Increase Sperm Count



You are in love! After some discussion, you and the love of your life have decided to have a baby. It is the ultimate symbol of your dedication and loyalty to each other. You will each have your own part to play. She will have to carry your love child for nine months, all the while taking care of her and the baby's health. All you have to do is plant the seed that get the process going. Sounds simple, right? However, some of you need to eat food to increase sperm count.

Much to your surprise, it is not always as easy as it should be. Your swimmers have the studious job of traveling to the promise land and penetrating through a huge barrier to reach inside the egg. It will take millions of sperm to get the job done. It is your job to make sure you are up to the task at hand. To help you get it done, look into eating the right food to increase your sperm count.

Super Food to Increase Sperm Count
1. Eggs
Eggs are considered a great option to increase sperm count, as well as improve their motility. High in vitamin E and full of protein, eating eggs protect sperm cells from the free radicals that can decrease your count. These nutrients assist in the production of strong and healthy sperm, which is important to fertility.

2. Spinach

Folic acid is vital to the development of healthy sperm. Spinach and other types of leafy green vegetables are a rich source of this vitamin. When your folate levels are low, there is a greater chance you will produce malformed sperm. This will lead to sperm that will have a hard time reaching the egg and penetrating its protective barrier. Also, there is a greater chance of birth defects because of the faulty sperms chromosomal abnormalities.

3. Bananas

Bananas are full of vitamin A, B1 and C, which help your body produce healthier sperm, as well as increase your sperm productivity. This tropical fruit also contains a rare enzyme called Bromelain. This is a natural anti-inflammatory enzyme which also boosts sperm count and motility.

4. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is often associated with lust filled rendezvous. Strawberries dipped in chocolate next to a glass of champagne on a bedside table greet many a guest during their honeymoon. What you probably didn't know is dark chocolate is great for your sperm count as well. It contains an amino acid called L-Arginine HCL known to increase semen volume and sperm count. It has also been rumored to increase orgasm intensity.

5. Asparagus

Another food to increase sperm count is the green vegetable called asparagus. Super high in vitamin C, it has a wide range of positive effects on your sperm. It protects the cells of your testicles and fights free radicals, allowing for greater sperm production of healthy swimmers.

6. Broccoli

Besides asparagus, another green vegetable full of folic acid is broccoli. Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is already known to help women conceive and is now becoming more recognized as important in male fertility. In one study, men taking a daily dose increased their sperm count by as much as 70%.

7. Pomegranates

This delicious fruit is known as a powerful food to increase sperm count and improve semen quality. It is full of antioxidants that fight free radicals in the blood stream. Unchecked, they can destroy semen and significantly decrease your sperm count. The juice of pomegranates has been recorded throughout history as being used as a fertility booster.

8. Walnuts

Walnuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids that help boost sperm volume and production by increasing blood flow to the testicles. It is also full of arginine, known to increase semen volume. It contains twice as much antioxidants than another nuts, helping you fight toxins in your blood stream.

9. Garlic

Garlic is known around the world as a food good for boosting immunity. Among its many properties are vitamin B6 and selenium, both of which play roles in healthy sperm production. Taken by many for its blood cleansing abilities, garlic prevents buildup in arteries and allows for better blood flow to your testicles.

10. Zinc Rich Foods

Foods rich in zinc include barley, red meat, beans, etc. Zinc plays a vital role in sperm development. The mineral is found in high concentrations in testicles during the production of healthy, strong semen. So important is zinc, deficiencies of the mineral has been blamed for low sperm motility. It is important to note you can have too much zinc so it is imperative to regulate your intake to about 15 mg per day.

Why Masturbation Is Needed

Why Masturbation Is Needed?

The main reason why people masturbate is for fun. The other benefit associated with masturbation is that it gets rid of the old sperms in the body, allowing for new ones to be formed. If you are looking forward to impregnating a lady, you may need to remove the accumulated sexual fluid in the body by masturbating a couple of days prior to sexual intercourse.

Masturbation AND Sperm Count

Does Masturbation Influence Your Sperm Count?

We have known that the question "how often should I masturbate" doesn't really have an answer. But can masturbation affect your sperm account?Masturbation, regardless of the frequency, will not affect the number of sperms you produce. This is mainly because sperms are continuously produced in the bodies of men. However, it will take some time after one ejaculation to be able to ejaculate again. This is normal and is not an indicator that your sperms are becoming depleted.

How much Should I Masturbate

How much Should I Masturbate?

Based on various research findings, masturbation is among the commonly practiced sexual activities around the world. Masturbation is the stimulation of genital organs by touch. Both men and women can masturbate or masturbate one another. Being one of the most popular sexual activities, there are many myths surrounding the activity. For instance, there are claims that masturbation can lead to hair growth on palms, insanity and blindness. Additionally, the question how often should I masturbate is still lingering in the minds of many people across the globe. In a bid to clarify such absurd claims and answer such questions, this article will touch on the various aspects of this practice.
How Often Should I Masturbate?
There is no such a thing as the ideal number of times one should masturbate in a day or even a week. As such, you should not worry about the number of times you masturbate, but rather how well the frequency fits your lifestyle. If you are masturbating many times in a day, but are still living a healthy life, then the frequency is good for you. However, if your frequency of masturbation is affecting other aspects of your life, like making you give up sex with your partner or causing you to miss work, you will need to see a sex therapist. Just like with any other form of addiction, compulsive masturbation can affect your life in a number of ways. The following table, compiled by National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, shows how often males and females at different ages masturbate.



Other's Opinions on "How Often Should I Masturbate?


Basically, masturbation is a normal thing in the society and you are the only one who can determine the frequency of masturbation that is ideal for your body. There are men who claim to masturbate 3 times in a day and about 5 days in a week. This may be a high frequency and allowing more time to pass before masturbating again can make the activity more enjoyable.


However, this is not meant to encourage masturbation. Some say while sexual drive is natural, it can be very powerful. Rather than increasing your frequency of masturbation, you should consider redirecting this energy to other things, such as sports, career or hobbies. This will ensure that you lead a healthy and happy life.

Additional Sperm Analysis Testing

May include the following

1.Sperm Antibodies

If the sperm agglutinate (do not move well) the physician may order tests that can localize and quantify specific antibodies in the blood and on the sperm's surface. Antibody attachment can affect the following:

• If they stick to the head of the sperm, the sperm may not be able to penetrate
• If they cover the tail of the sperm, the sperm may not be able to swim fast enough or in the right direction

2.Sperm Penetration

This sperm penetration assay (SPA) is commonly referred to as the hamster egg test. It is designed to evaluate the sperm's ability to break through the outer membrane of an egg and fuse with the egg cytoplasm.

3.Hemizona Assay Test

Evaluates the sperm's ability to fuse with a previously frozen but no longer viable human egg. (This test is rarely performed now due to the increased technology of ART procedures)

4.Cervical Mucus Penetration Test 

A lab test that uses cow mucus to simulate the sperm's ability to move through the woman's cervical mucus.

Evaluating Male Fertility: Interpreting Semen Analysis Results

Michael Feinman, MD
Published in Resolve, for the journey and beyond, Summer 2013
Semen analysis has long represented the standard test for evaluating male fertility. Though still useful, the test is not perfect, as it fails to accurately predict fertility status in certain situations. This article will review the interpretation of a semen analysis and briefly present some of the more advanced alternatives that are now available.

It is appropriate to obtain a semen analysis early in working with an infertile couple. It is unacceptable to put a woman through medical procedures and tests without knowing the status of her partner’s semen. Typically, a man is asked to abstain from any ejaculations for two to three days prior to the test. While making specimens at home is preferred, the sample should be brought to the lab within about an hour. It is important to use a cup provided by the lab, as some materials are toxic to sperm. 

While there a number of parameters reported in the analysis, only a few are really important:

1.Volume.

A typical specimen is 1-4ml. While volume does not play an important role in fertility, a low volume suggests an incomplete collection. Conversely, very large volumes may result in dilution of sperm and may cause considerable leakage after intercourse. Some people believe large volumes are associated with infection, but this is not well-established.

2.Count. 

A normal specimen should contain 20 million sperm/ml, or more. Most low counts go unexplained, but occasionally this can be hormonally related.

3.Motility.

This is expressed as percent of live sperm. Different labs express this differently, but essentially, about 60% of the sperm should be swimming.

4.Morphology.

This refers to the shapes of the sperm. Over a decade ago, a new “strict” criteria was introduced. The result is that most men have very low numbers. Fourteen percent of “normal formed sperm” is considered normal. In our lab, as with most labs, we almost never see that result. As the number for normal keeps dropping, the usefulness of the test also decreases. The test is widely misunderstood; it is not a test of fertility or a predictor of having a normal baby. Low morphology has only been associated with low fertilization rates in an IVF lab when natural fertilization is allowed to occur. Many labs also report White Blood Cell numbers (WBC). Elevated levels might be associated with infections like prostatitis. However, WBC’s can look like immature spermatids. Immature spermatids occur more frequently in specimens with low counts, so it is important to make sure the lab has stained the cells specifically for WBC’s. Semen cultures can also clarify the situation. After decades of experience with semen analysis, it is clear that the WBC test is not a perfect predictor of fertility. For this reason, it is inappropriate to ask a man to undergo the test before he has tried to father a child.

Over the past few years, a number of tests have been developed that more specifically evaluate the DNA content of sperm: Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA), DNA Fragmentation Test (Reprosource), Comet Assay, and Tunnel Assay. All the versions attempt to analyze the quality of the DNA in the sperm, which may be more informative than just the semen analysis alone.

If the semen analysis or one of these DNA tests is abnormal, the reproductive endocrinologist, along with a urologist who specializes in male infertility will try to find a cause and possible treatment to improve the sperm quality. Occasionally, no cause or treatment may found, but many of these men can still be helped with IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Michael A. Feinman, MD, FACOG, is the medical director at HRC Fertility, which has centers in Southern California. Dr. Feinman performed one of the first transvaginal ultrasound guided egg retrievals in America and the first in New York. He developed one of the first anonymous egg donor programs in the world at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York in 1987. Dr. Feinman has been featured on the cover of the New York Times and on ABC Evening News.

The Semen Analysis

The single most important test of male fertility

What are they looking for?

1. Sperm count
2. Ability of sperm to swim (motility)
3. Velocity or forward progression of the sperm
4. Size and shape of the sperm (morphology)
5. Total semen volume
6. The liquefaction of the semen (the ability to go from normal gel-like state at ejaculation to a liquid state)

1.The Factors Reported in a Semen Analysis

A semen analysis is usually done at a laboratory or a physician's office. The man masturbates and collects the ejaculate into a cup. The semen should then be examined within a few hours, to achieve the most accurate results. The following is evaluated:

2.Total Volume

2 5 milliliters is a normal volume. A very low volume indicates that the seminal vesicles may not be making enough fluid or that these ducts may be blocked. It may also indicate a problem with the prostate gland.

3.Sperm Count

40 million to 300 million is the normal range for the number of sperm per milliliter. Counts below 10 million are considered poor; counts of 20 million or more may be fine if motility and morphology are normal.

4.Motility and Velocity

2 aspects of motility will be evaluated

1. The number of active cells as a percentage of the total number of cells (rated from 0-100%, at least 50% should be active)
2. The quality of the movement of the sperm (rated from 0-4. A score of 2 or more is satisfactory.)
3. Morphology

At least 30% of cells should be of normal shape according to the WHO (world health organization)

5.Morphology test

Examines the shape and size of the sperm head. Normal results are when 14% or more of the sperm have normal shaped heads. Men with less than 4% of normal shaped sperm may have a significant infertility problem.

6.Liquefaction

Normal semen which is liquid at ejaculation immediately coagulates into a pearly gel that liquefies within 20 minutes. Failure to coagulate and then liquefy may indicate a problem with the seminal vesicles, as would increased thickness or the presence of white blood cells.

7.Seminal Fructose

If no sperm are present, the semen will be tested for seminal fructose, normally produced by the seminal vesicles. If no fructose is present, congenital absence of the vas deferens or seminal vesicles or obstruction of the ejaculatory duct

8.Cultures

The physician may test the semen and/or the urethra for the presence of ay STD's or other bacteria.

A Woman’s Difficulty with Orgasm

A Woman’s Difficulty with Orgasm

A Woman’s Difficulty with Orgasm
“I am here because I am very much in love with my fiancé, but I can’t reach an orgasm with him. I so want to have orgasms together when we have intercourse. I get very excited, but I can’t come. It’s very frustrating!”

Ann, a 28 year-old, attractive brunette, stated her problem as soon as she sat down in my office. After establishing that she had a recent medical check up, no medical problems, and that she was not taking any medications except contraceptive pills, we proceeded to work on her problem during several weekly sessions.

Ann had been able to reach orgasm only by masturbating. She didn’t consider not having orgasms with her partners a problem until she fell in love with Ben, her fiancé. Until now, satisfying her partner was all the pleasure she sought. She said she enjoyed sex and proudly claimed expertise at what she referred to as “blow jobs.” As she spoke of her sexual experiences, it seemed that she enjoyed having complete control of the situation. She didn’t teach her partners how to touch her to an orgasm and she expressed dislike for receiving oral sex.

As we discussed her sex and relationship history, she admitted to a very prudish upbringing where sex was never discussed. She recalled masturbating when she was about 7 years old. She didn’t remember if she had orgasms at that time, but she did remember the secrecy and enjoyment of masturbating. This continued through her adolescence and teenage years.

With no one at home discussing or teaching her about sex, Ann fashioned her sexual expectations from books, the media, and erroneous information from her friends. Because of her strict upbringing, she didn’t date often and had little experience with men.

Going away to college gave her the freedom to start dating without the vigilance of her family. But she found her romantic expectations constantly challenged by the realities of dating. Her lack of experience and information, and the negative connotations about sex she had received at home, made her anxious and fearful of relationships and sex.

Ann limited her sexual exploration to kissing and light petting, until one night when she and her date were drunk and he penetrated her. The next day, she wasn’t even sure she had had “sex”. All her romantic notions about the passion and pleasure of her first intercourse had vanished. She continued to engage in casual relationships that involved intercourse, but she had never had orgasms with her partners.

Then she met Ben through mutual college friends. After several months of dating, they were engaged and moved in together. She was very much in love and kept expecting to be able to reach orgasm while having intercourse with Ben. But it wasn’t happening. She didn’t tell him she wasn’t climaxing so he was unaware of her problem.

Ann thought she was supposed to have orgasms through intercourse. Not being able to do so, she felt like a failure. She felt guilty about masturbating and did not want to show Ben how she could bring herself to climax. She also would not allow him to give her oral sex. She told me it was “too embarrassing.” When he would try to go down on her, she would start worrying about how she smelled, if he was turned off by her genitals, or if he was getting bored and tired. She couldn’t relax enough to enjoy it.


SEXPERT’S COMMENTS
In the case of Ann, there were several issues to contend with:

Her hesitancy to tell Ben about her problem;
Her inability to let him make love to her orally;
Her focus on intercourse as the only way to have orgasms.
Because of Ann’s romantic, unrealistic expectations about sex and love, and because of her feelings of guilt about masturbating, education on these matters was our first step.
First, I wanted to dispel her mistaken assumption that women experience orgasm easily through intercourse. NOT SO! To the contrary, studies have found that about only 25% of women can climax regularly from intercourse alone. And nearly one third have difficulty reaching orgasm through ANY MEANS. The myth that intercourse is the “right” way to experience orgasm made Ann, and many other women, feel pressured to “perform,” and has encouraged them to fake orgasms they aren’t having.

As to feelings of guilt about masturbating, masturbation is a common practice for women and men. Studies report that about 70% of women and about 94% of men masturbate to orgasm. Other studies show that women who masturbate to orgasm report more satisfaction with sex and with their partners.

For Ann, since she didn’t want Ben involved in therapy at that time, educating her about other ways to reach orgasm was our next step.

So Ann could relax and not be so performance conscious while having sex, I started relaxation training with her. Her first exercise was a simple diaphragm breathing technique:

Sit with your back straight to open the chest area; feet flat on the ground; your hands palm down on your knees.
Breathe in slowly through your nostrils to a count of four. Take the breath down to your stomach.
Exhale slowly through your nostrils to a count of four.
Repeat four times, each time saying to yourself on your exhalation, RELAX.
Ann practiced this relaxation technique daily until she became comfortable with it. Then we discussed that it was important for her to tell Ben about her difficulty with orgasms. It took several weeks before she was able to start discussing this with him. Unconsciously, she had always been fearful of exposing what she considered a weakness to her partners. She felt they would reject her and abandon her. So instead, she concentrated on pleasing them, assuming that then they would not leave her.

Ben was supportive of Ann’s desire to experience orgasm while having intercourse and he pledged his cooperation. Our next step was for Ann and Ben to engage in “romantic” times when pleasuring each other, not intercourse, was the goal. Setting a relaxing atmosphere without any performance anxiety was the purpose for this phase of treatment.

Next, Ann was encouraged to show Ben how she masturbated to orgasm. He found this very arousing and it freed him to show her how he liked to have his penis touched. Asking Ben for what she liked was very difficult for Ann. She had a history of having to take care of herself emotionally and she did not trust anyone else to do so.

Sharing their masturbating styles brought a new level of intimacy to their relationship. But, Ann was still embarrassed about Ben going down on her so we postponed work on this until a later time.

Next, Ann and Ben practiced manual penetration: he would thrust his fingers in her vagina while stimulating her clitoris until she climaxed. Ann was ecstatic that she could let him bring her to an orgasm.

Our next step was for her to masturbate while he penetrated her with his penis. This was most easily accomplished “doggy” style, with Ben behind her, holding her shoulders while he slowly thrust from behind. She was free to stimulate herself in the way she liked and she was able to climax. It took a while for them to coordinate this so they could come together, but eventually they achieved what she had come to my office for: climaxing together while having intercourse.

Though she still needed clitoral stimulation to climax, Ann was very happy with the progress she had made. She was particularly pleased and relieved that she could trust Ben. He listened to what she needed and wanted without running away and abandoning her.

Busy with her wedding plans, Ann postponed work on her next goal: to achieve orgasm through intercourse alone. For now, she expressed great satisfaction with having orgasms with Ben and no longer felt there was a “right” way to climax.

If you would like to know how Ann learned to enjoy oral sex and how she was able to achieve orgasms through intercourse alone, click here.


SUMMARY
Lack of accurate sexual information leads many women to unrealistic expectations about sexual experiences.

Intercourse is not the only or “right” way to achieve orgasm.

Your physical health, medications, your feelings about your body, your genitals, about your relationship and your desires influence your sexual experiences.

Orgasm problems are common and can be helped.