How Can Men Increase Fertility? | Habits That Boost Sperm

When a couple can’t get pregnant, men often feel stuck. You can’t see sperm quality day to day, and advice online swings from “just relax” to weird pills. A better route is boring and direct: remove the common hits to sperm, then get tested early enough that you don’t waste another season.

This guide focuses on changes you can start today, plus what a medical workup usually looks like. Expect plain steps, not hype.

What Male Fertility Is Measuring

Most male fertility checkups start with a semen analysis. It measures semen volume and sperm concentration, then looks at how well sperm move (motility) and how they’re shaped (morphology). Results can vary from week to week, so clinics often repeat testing.

Why Timing Matters

Sperm take around two to three months to develop. That’s why lifestyle changes usually show up after 8–12 weeks, not next week. A fever, heavy drinking weekend, or a stretch of poor sleep can also cause a temporary dip.

When It Makes Sense To Test

The World Health Organization defines infertility as not achieving pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex. WHO’s infertility fact sheet is a reliable reference for the definition and the range of causes.

If your partner is 35 or older, many clinicians start evaluation sooner, often around six months. If you already have risk factors (prior testicular surgery, chemo, undescended testes, testosterone use), testing sooner can save time.

Ways Men Can Increase Fertility Before A Clinic Visit

Think in three buckets: cut sperm toxins, lower testicular heat, and build habits that steady hormones. Do those well for one sperm-making cycle, then reassess.

Quit Nicotine And Avoid Secondhand Smoke

Nicotine and smoke exposure are strongly tied to poorer semen parameters and more sperm DNA damage. If you smoke, vape, or use smokeless tobacco, quitting is a high-return move. Make it concrete: a quit date, fewer triggers, and a plan for cravings.

Keep Alcohol Moderate

Alcohol can disrupt sleep and hormone balance. A simple approach is to cut binges first, then limit drinking to a few low-stress occasions per month while you’re trying.

Pause Cannabis And Other Recreational Drugs

Frequent cannabis use has been linked in studies to weaker semen measures. If you use it often, take a full 90-day break and treat it like a real fertility step, not a “maybe.” Other recreational drugs carry similar risk and can also affect sexual function.

Lower Heat Around The Testes

Sperm production runs best at a cooler temperature. Regular hot tubs, long saunas, heated car seats, and laptops on the lap can raise scrotal heat. Cutting those for a few months is a low-effort experiment with a clear payoff path.

Move And Eat For Metabolic Health

Extra abdominal fat is linked to lower testosterone and higher estrogen. Rapid crash diets can also stress hormones. Aim for slow, steady loss if you’re overweight, then maintain. Regular strength training plus brisk walking is a solid base.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine summarizes how exercise and body weight relate to fertility in plain terms. ASRM’s exercise and weight fact sheet is a helpful one-page overview.

Protect Sleep And Recovery

Short sleep and irregular schedules can flatten testosterone rhythms. Pick a consistent wake time, limit late-night scrolling, and keep the bedroom cool and dark. You don’t need perfection. You need repeatability.

Review Meds, Supplements, And Testosterone Use

Testosterone therapy is a common cause of low or zero sperm production, since it can shut down the signals that drive sperm making. Do not stop prescribed testosterone on your own. Bring it up with a clinician and ask about fertility-preserving alternatives.

Also review other meds and supplements, including gym products. Some affect ejaculation or hormones. A full list at your visit helps your clinician spot issues fast.

Remove Sex Friction

Trying to conceive can turn sex into a task. That can lead to missed fertile days. A practical rhythm for many couples is sex every 2–3 days through the cycle, then every 1–2 days near ovulation. If you use lubricant often, choose a fertility-friendly option, since some lubes slow sperm movement.

If erections are unreliable, treat that as part of the fertility plan. Missed timing is common, and erection issues can track with blood-vessel health and sleep quality. A clinician can help you choose an option that fits your goals.

Watch Work And Home Exposures

Some jobs involve solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, or chronic heat. Even if you can’t change the job, you can reduce exposure: use protective gear, wash hands before eating, and change out of work clothes soon after you get home. The NICHD lists lifestyle-linked factors tied to infertility, including substance use and exposures, in a practical overview. NICHD’s overview of lifestyle factors tied to infertility can help you spot risks you’ve normalized.

Table 1 after ~40%

Change	Why It Can Help	Start Here
Quit nicotine	Less toxin load and DNA damage risk	Quit date + trigger plan
Stop binge drinking	Better sleep and hormone rhythm	Alcohol-free weekdays
Pause cannabis	May improve count and motility	90-day break
Reduce hot tub/sauna	Lower scrotal heat	Skip for 8–12 weeks
Move most days	Better insulin control and blood flow	Walk 30 min daily
Strength train 2–3×/wk	Helps body composition and hormones	Full-body basics
Sleep 7–9 hours	More stable testosterone rhythm	Fixed wake time
Review meds/testosterone	Some therapies suppress sperm	Bring a full list
Switch lubricant	Some lubes slow sperm	Use sperm-friendly lube

What A Medical Workup Usually Includes

A clinic visit is not just a semen test. A good evaluation combines history, exam, and targeted labs or imaging. Getting the right diagnosis can change the plan from “try longer” to a treatment that actually fits.

The American Urological Association’s guideline lays out evaluation and treatment steps for male infertility. AUA’s male infertility guideline page is a trustworthy summary of what clinicians should do and when referral is warranted.

Semen Analysis And Repeat Testing

Ask the lab about prep. Many clinics suggest 2–7 days of abstinence before collection, no lubricant in the cup, and delivery to the lab within a short window if you collect at home. If the sample was hard to produce or you were sick that week, tell the clinician. Context can change how the result is read.

If you had a high fever in the last two months, your first semen test can look worse than your baseline. In that case, repeating the test after recovery can give a cleaner read on your usual numbers.

A semen test can be abnormal for short-term reasons (illness, heat, recent heavy drinking). That’s why many clinicians repeat it. If both tests are abnormal, the next step is usually a deeper evaluation.

Hormones, Varicocele, And Other Treatable Causes

Hormone labs can identify low testosterone signaling, thyroid issues, or other problems that can affect sperm production. A physical exam can spot varicocele, which is linked to higher testicular temperature and can be treatable in selected cases. Your clinician may also screen for infection or inflammation based on symptoms and lab findings.

When Genetics Enters The Picture

Low sperm counts (severe) can trigger genetic testing. That helps guide treatment choices and can matter for pregnancy planning. If results are complex, ask for a clear explanation of what they mean for you, not a wall of lab codes.

Table 2 after >60%

Situation	First Step	Next Step
Trying for 12 months	Semen analysis	Repeat test if abnormal
Partner is 35+ and trying for 6 months	Couple evaluation	Move quickly to testing
Low count (severe)	Repeat semen + hormones	Specialist referral
No sperm seen	Repeat analysis + hormones	Assess obstruction vs production
Low volume	History and exam	Check ejaculatory issues
Past chemo/radiation	Semen analysis	Plan retrieval options
Recurrent miscarriage history	Couple evaluation	Broader male workup

Food And Supplements Without The Hype

If you want a simple diet target, pick a pattern you can repeat: protein at meals, lots of plants, whole-food carbs, and fewer sugary drinks. This tends to improve weight, insulin control, and cardiovascular health, which ties into hormone balance and sexual function.

Supplements are a mixed bag. If you’re deficient in a nutrient, repleting it can help. Many antioxidant blends are marketed hard but vary in dose and quality.

If you want to try a supplement plan, keep it simple: a standard multivitamin, omega-3s if you rarely eat fish, and a targeted nutrient only when a clinician flags a gap (like low vitamin D or iron issues). Skip megadoses. They can cause side effects, and they don’t turn low sperm into high sperm overnight.

Also, be wary of powders and “test boosters.” Some contain unlisted ingredients or hormone-active compounds. That’s a bad match when you’re trying to keep the endocrine system steady.

A 90-Day Plan You Can Stick With

Pick a start date and commit to one sperm-making cycle. Keep it simple:

• Daily: no nicotine, a sleep window, and some movement.
• Weekly: strength training 2–3 times and one meal-prep session.
• Monthly: reassess alcohol, cannabis, and heat habits.

Set a single check-in date 10–12 weeks out. If pregnancy hasn’t happened, decide what you’ll do next: repeat semen testing, book a urology visit, or both. That keeps you from drifting for another year.

When To Get Help Right Away

Seek earlier evaluation if you’ve had undescended testes, testicular surgery, severe groin injury, chemo or radiation, testosterone use, or known hormone disorders. Also move faster if your partner has known cycle or tubal issues. Fertility is a couple issue, so speed on one side helps both.