Sperm. The one thing that mankind can’t live without. Literally.

And this oh so precious resource is dwindling every year.

The fact is, sperm counts are down over 50% since the 1940’s. And they continue to drop by 1-2% each year.

Reasons for the drop in sperm count?

The most studied causes for this trend are the increase in plastic use, certain therapeutic drugs, our poor food sources & dietary choices, and the overuse of insecticides, pesticides and industrial chemicals. [Source]

Regardless, were not here to talk about why this is happening but instead we’re here to learn how we can reverse this process and increase our sperm counts.

So for that, here are 50 things that will help:

1-25 are things you can do/avoid in order to increase your sperm count.

26-40 are foods that increase your sperm count.

41-50 are supplements that will increase your sperm count.

And if you have great sperm now, but have concerns about your sperm quality in the future, due to age related issues – sperm freezing is an effective way to preserve sperm and increase your chances of having a baby in the future. So if you have great sperm, or when you get those levels up with these 50 steps, it’s definitely something to think about as well.

1) Avoid Excessive Plastic Use

I say excessive because if you looked around for 5 seconds you would see that you are surrounded by plastics. There’s no avoiding them. But as you will see throughout this article, plastic chemicals like BPA and Phthalates are found in everything from our water sources to household products, and are proven to decrease sperm counts. These chemicals came around in the 1940’s, right when sperm counts began there decline. Coincidence?

Learn More:

Are Household Plastics Making You Less of a Man (Link Expired)

2) Don’t Eat Canned Foods

According to this study, one of the plastics we referred to above, BPA, is still to this day used in many canned foods. These cans have been coated with the resin since the 1960’s. BTW, BPA is known as “synthetic estrogen” and we’ll be talking about it a lot in this list.

Learn More:

Just How Dangerous is BPA in Canned Food, And 10 Ways You Can Reduce Your Risk

BPA Free Canned Food Brands

3) Skip Out on The Receipts

Next time the clerk hands you a receipt, say “no thanks!” Once again, our little friend BPA is coated on receipts (It gives them that powdery feel). A study, where researches got 10 people to handle unused receipts and then eat a basket of french fries, showed that, following the test, the participants had BPA levels that were 10X higher than when they started. Yikes!

Learn More:

Receipts May Expose us to High Levels of BPA

How to Avoid BPA Exposure from Cash Register Receipts

4) Sadly, Stop Using Most Sex Toys

Sex toys are often made with the plastic softening chemicals called phthalates. These phthalates are proven to lower sperm count. How can you stay safe while still having fun? Stick to glass, silicone and green sex toys. It’s not all bad.

Learn More:

Dangerous Sex Toys: What You Need to Know

5) Use Natural Lube

Most lubricants are not sperm friendly. They either kill the sperm or they can act like a barrier and are too thick for the sperm to swim through. This is bad for couples trying to conceive and can make your sperm much less effective. Luckily there are sperm friendly lubricants created for just that and we link to them below.

Learn More:

Sperm Friendly Lubricant

6) Watch Out For Non-Stick Pans & Raincoats

Weird combination, but these two things contain chemicals called perfluoralkyl acids which give them their non-stick quality. It was found that men with high levels of these chemicals in their blood (like plant workers) had half the sperm counts of normal men.

Learn More:

Sperm Counts Sunk By Non-Stick Chemicals

Nonstick Cookware and Teflon Dangers

More Nonstick Cookware Goodness

7) Shower Naturally

Phthalates are found in most shampoos, soaps, conditioners, deodorants and shaving products. They make you feel silky smooth, but they are destroying your sperm count. You can increase your sperm count simply by switching to organic products that are phthalate free. It will be worth the extra $25 a month when you can father children.

Learn More:

Brickell Men’s Products (I use these, they’re awesome)

Phthalate Free Cosmetic List

8) Avoid Other Harmful Chemicals

We’ve talked a lot about chemicals already, and for the sake of everyone, we’ll end it here. Otherwise it would be 85,000 ways to increase your sperm count. So basically, just watch out for chemicals in general. Pesticides and other harmful chemicals all play a role in sperm count reduction. These chemicals wreak havoc on our endocrine systems, and put our swimmers at risk. You can find these on most fruits and veggies that are not certified organic. For best results, just buy organic. Also, all those crazy cleaning products you use. No bueno. Stick to organic products as much as possible. Just this alone will increase your sperm count.

Learn More:

Everyday Chemicals Reduce Sperm Count

9) Stop Smoking Dope

Studies show that marijuana smokers have significantly less seminal fluid and a decreased sperm count. This is surprising to me as this herb comes out of mother earth. But facts are facts.

Learn More:

Marijuana Smoking Damages Sperm

10) Stop Smoking Period

Okay, the marijuana one was a surprise to me as well. But it comes at no surprise that if you want to increase your sperm count you have to ditch the cigarettes. This should be the first thing you do!

Learn More:

Smokings Effect on Sperm Count

11) Check Your Medications

Many common medications can lower your sperm count. When trying to boost sperm counts, make sure you Google search “any medications you are taking + sperm count.” This will quickly tell you if these medications are some of the many that interfere with sperm counts.

Learn More:

16 Common Medications That Can Lower Your Sperm Count

12) Chill Out Man

Stress is a big cause of low testosterone levels. This in turn hurts your sperm count. If you want to boost your sperm counts, chill out. Get a handle on your stress patterns and possibly look into meditation. It really works.

13) Get That Laptop Off Your Lap!

A hot laptop on your lap is a recipe for sperm loss. Excessive heat + Testicles = Bad for business. Use a pillow or buy a lap desk and ensure your boys are nice and cool, like you.

Learn More:

Laptop Use on Lap May Reduce Sperm Quality

14) Watch That Wifi

Another reason to get that laptop off your lap is because a recent study showed that blasting sperm collected from 29 healthy men with wifi exposure caused one-quarter of the sperm to stop swimming, while only 14% of sperm not exposed stopped swimming. This is alarming as I am typing this article on a laptop right now. <article suddenly ends>

Learn More:

WIFI Laptops Potentially Hazardous to Sperm

15) Stay Sober

While alcohol is not shown to drastically decrease sperm counts, it is a good strategy to limit the booze when you are trying to increase your sperm count or father children.

Learn More:

Direct Effect of Alcohol on Sperm

16) Bike Less

It was found in a study of Spanish triathletes that they had a lower sperm count that athletes competing in sports that didn’t involve cycling. The study showed that there was an inverse relationship between the shape of the head, tail and  body of the spermatozoids and hours spent cycling each week.

17) Watch Less T.V

A recent study showed that men who watched 20 hours of T.V or more a week actually had half the sperm of men who didn’t watch T.V at all. This is a startling statistic. If you want to increase your sperm count, turn off the tube.

Learn More:

20 Hours of TV a Week May Half Men’s Sperm Counts

18) Move Your Cell Phone

The fact is, cell phones emit radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves. Having this go on in you pocket, which is RIGHT next to your balls, is a horrible combination. Tim Ferris actually states in his book The Four Hour Body, that he increased his sperm count simply by keeping his phone in an armband rather than his pocket. He has all sorts of great stuff like this in his book. I link to both below.

Learn More:

Are Cell Phones Bad For Male Fertility?

19) Watch Out For Hot Baths & Hot Tubs

Hot tubs are awesome. But they are not good for your sperm what so ever. Just 30 minutes in water than is 102 F or higher will significantly lower your immediate sperm count. Studies done in the 1950’s show that men who took a half hour hot bath every other day for 3 weeks were infertile for the next six month! I’m not gonna lie, that sucks. I love hot tubs. On top of that, a recent study done at UCSF showed that when men cut out there exposure to hot baths, their sperm counts went up 491%.

Learn More:

UCSF Study

Wet Heat Exposure: A Reversible Form of Male Infertility

20) Exercise!

Exercise seems to be good for everything, and this is no different when it comes to increasing your sperm count. A study shows that men exercising more than 7 hours a week had roughly 48% higher concentrations in sperm than men who exercised less than 1 hour per week.

Learn More:

Exercise Increases Sperm Count

21) Lose Weight

The good news is, if you’re exercising, you probably have this one covered. Studies show that being obese (having a BMI over 30) greatly decreases a mans chance of being fertile while also lowering his sperm count.

Learn More:

Male Infertility More Common in Overweight Men

22) Have More Sex

Good news! Using your sperm doesn’t make it any less potent. And it’s actually the opposite. “Saving your sperm” for when a woman is more fertile is actually a bad strategy. According to research, guys with low sperm counts who abstain for more than a day slow down production even more and cause the sperm that is in the bank to go “stale.” Enjoy your sex.

23) Don’t Worry About Masturbation

Even though regular sex will increase the effectiveness and count of your sperm, there has been mixed reviews about whether masturbation has the same effect. Some studies show it does, some studies show it doesn’t. So basically, don’t worry about masturbation per say, just be careful of the dangers of porn addiction.

Learn More:

Male Masturbation Effects on Fertility and Sperm Count

24) Lose The Super Tight Undies

In order for the testes to produce quality sperm, the temperature of the testes must be much lower than your body temperature. This is why you balls are located outside of your body. Even a couple degrees in temperature rise is enough to have a negative effect, so if they are tight enough to be holding your balls too close to your body (this means super tight), they will hurt your sperm count, even if only slightly. I wouldn’t worry about briefs per say, but some “nut huggers” do just that.

Learn More:

Boxers vs. Briefs: Increasing Sperm Count

25) Take Cold Showers

Cold showers are great for you. They increase your insulin resistance, have been shown to ease depression, boost testosterone levels, help you sleep better at night, and yes, increase sperm counts. I know it sounds terrible, but try it. It really does wake you up in the morning like nothing else. Ironically it also its you to sleep at night like nothing else. Just do it.

Learn More:

15 Benefits of Cold Showers That Will Blow Your Mind

26) Eat a Healthy Diet

Diet is usually the fix to most modern ailments, including low sperm counts. The fact is, modern diets suck. Just fixing this alone can dramatically increase your sperm count. Reducing sugars, eliminating wheat & grains and upping your fruit, vegetable & healthy fat intake is a start. This will dramatically increase your sperm count. But for the next 15 bullet points we’ll let you know exact things you can put in your diet to give your body an extra boost in sperm production and fertility.

Learn More:

The Stronger Sperm Diet

27) Limit Caffeine

A cup of coffee a day is not likely to reduce fertility or sperm count. But drinking caffeine in excessive amount (more than 3 cups a day) is suspected to have a negative effect on your sperm by increasing the chance of mutation.

Learn More:

Caffeine’s Effect on Sperm Count

28) Cut Back on Coke and Other Soda’s

In a Danish study among 2,554 young Danish men recruited when they were examined to determine their fitness for military service, it was recorded that the men who drank high amounts of Cola had sperm counts of around 40 mL/M while the men who didn’t drink Cola had an average of 56 mL/M. They couldn’t say whether it was the caffeine or not, but coke and other soda are certainly not going to increase sperm counts in men, so lay off.

Learn More:

Drinking to Much Cola Could Lower Men’s Sperm Counts

29) Eat Red Food

A recent study published in Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic showed that consumption of Lycopene (commonly found in red fruits such as tomatoes, strawberries, cherries and peppers) increased the mobility, morphology and volume of sperm, as well as increasing sperm counts up to 70%. These findings are nothing short of amazing.

Learn More:

How Eating Tomatoes Could Increase Male Fertility: Key Compound in The Fruit Could Boost Sperm Count by 70%

30) Eat Garlic

Considered a natural aphrodisiac and sexual superfood, garlic contains Selenium, and antioxidant necessary for sperm motility and Allicin, and compound that increases blood flow to the male sex organs. Add it to your daily mix to see a boost in sex drive and an increase in sperm count. Just make sure you buy some chewing gum before you hit the bars. All this being said, it is found that TOO MUCH garlic can actually have a negative effect on sperm counts, so use in moderation.

How Much?

For a rise in sperm count, start adding 1-2 garlic cloves to a meal daily. This will also provide you with a nice boost in libido.

31) Eat Goji Berries

A Chinese study of 42 men who were all diagnosed with infertility due to low sperm count and motility were given a 1/2 oz of Goji Berries a day. After 1 month on the treatment 50% of the men had sperm counts in the normal and above normal range. And after only 2 months of the treatment, 33 of the men had sperm counts from normal to above normal levels and each of those 33 men went on to father children. This is amazing! Goji berries alone can do wonders for your sperm count.

How Much?

As Food: Up to once ounce of berries may be eaten daily.

Learn More:

Goji Antioxidants Shown Helpful for Male Infertility

32) Eat Oysters

Oysters are known as being one of the most potent sexual enhancers you can naturally ingest. But what many don’t know is that, as well as increasing your sex drive, they also increase your sperm count. Why is this? It is because of the extremely high amount of Zinc that oysters contain. Oysters are loaded with this building block of sperm and it will show in a rise in your swimmers.

How Much?

Since Zinc is stored in our bodies there is no need to eat daily. Try eating 8-12 oysters once a week to start. Your sex that night will astound you. (See link below)

Learn More: 

Oyster Have Even More Sex Benefits Than We Thought

33) Eat Dark Chocolate

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Dark chocolate, being loaded with antioxidants and arginine, is a potent sperm enhancer. Men who commonly eat dark chocolate also report more intense orgasms, so that’s always fun. While dark chocolate does contain L-Arginine, it is not in huge amount, so learn more about how to supplement with that later.

How Much?

If you like some sweets at night, start eating a few squares of dark chocolate after dinner. No need to get crazy scientific about this one.

34) Eat Bananas

Bananas don’t only look like a penis, but they make your penis better. Bananas obtain a rare enzyme called Bromeliad, which is good for the bro’s because it helps regulate sex hormones. They are also loaded with Magnesium, Vitamin B1 & Vitamin C, which are building blocks of sperm.

How Much?

Eating 1-3 bananas a week is enough for them to help increase your sperm counts. Try it before or after a workout or sex.

35) Eat Asparagus

Asparagus contain super high levels of Vitamin C, which prevents your sperm from oxidizing, protects the cells of your testes and reduces free radical damage. They also contain Folic Acid which we will talk about later. Well worth the price of some slightly smelly urine.

How Much:

Include asparagus in your dinners a few times a week. This healthy vegetable will not only improve your health, but add some class to your meals.

Learn More:

Sperm Count and Asparagus

36) Eat More Nuts, Specifically Walnuts

Nuts have been know for a long time to be great for health as well as the male reproductive system. In 2012, a study published at the University of California showed that men who consumed 75g of walnuts every day showed a huge improvement in sperm vitality, motility and morphology (3 indicators of quality sperm). The results we concluded to be from the high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in nuts. Nuts like walnuts and almonds also contain a good amount of L-Arginine, which once again has been shown to increase sperm count in men while peanuts contain a good amount of Zinc. Overall, nuts are great for your nuts. Bonus: Brazilian nuts are an amazing source of Selenium that Tim Ferris uses to boost his testosterone and sperm count as well.

How Much?

75 g of walnuts seemed to do the trick in the study. So if you are trying to raise your sperm counts, try this amount. If you just want to get the health benefits, just start snacking on nuts regularly. For Brazilian nuts, you only need 2-3 a day to get a high dose of selenium. Don’t eat more than that.

Learn More:

Walnuts Increase Male Sperm Counts and Fertility

3 Reasons Why Every Man Needs to Eat Brazilian Nuts Right Now

37) Try Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are very high in zinc, which as we spoke about above, is a major building block of sperm and testosterone. As well has containing lots of zinc, pumpkin seeds contain B vitamins, vitamin E, C, D & K which are all libido increasing vitamins. They also contain calcium, potassium, niacin and phosphorous.

How Much?

Pumpkin seeds should always be eaten raw to preserve the healthy fats present. Choose organic pumpkin seeds, to avoid the harmful chemicals and pesticides which are shown to lower your sperm count & snack on them like you would sunflower seeds. Enjoy.

Learn More:

Pumpkin Seeds Proven to Boost Sex Drive

9 Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin, And Pumpkin Juice – Best Option For The Most Health Benefits

38) Limit Your Soy Intake

Soy and men don’t mix. This study shows that soy dramatically reduced sperm count in men. In the study it was found that men who ate a lot of soy food actually had, on average, 41 million/mL less sperm than guys who didn’t consume soy products. This finding is huge! And can save a lot of men from infertility problems. Stay away from soy, at all costs.

How Much?

None.

Learn More:

Soy Food Associated With Lower Sperm Counts

39) Eat Your Veggies

Mom was right. Not only do cruciferous vegetables lower estrogen levels, allowing for higher testosterone levels, but they will also help you boost your sperm counts.

How Much?

You should be eating veggies with EVERY meal, and be half your plate. Seriously. They will help prevent disease, increase energy, boost test & help your sperm.

Learn More:

Vegetarians Have Much Lower Sperm Counts

40) Stay Hydrated

This is a simple solution but must be noted as the last diet point. Make sure you are staying hydrated. Your sperm is made of water and dehydration is linked to lower sperm volume. If you’re doing everything else in this article, but not drinking enough water, you are doing yourself an injustice.

How Much?

Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. If you work out, then drink more.

Learn More:

Why Drinking Water Upon Waking is Great For Your Health

41) Take Folic Acid

A study on Folic Acid and Zincs effect on fertile and sub fertile men resulted in a 74% increase in sperm counts in the sub fertile men who supplemented both for two weeks. A simple solution for any man lacking sperm.

How Much?

Eat the foods spoken about above which are rich in Folic Acid or supplement with 4mg daily. Buy Here.

Learn More:

Increase Sperm Counts With Zinc and Folic Acid

42) Take Zinc

As mentioned above, Zinc was part of that study where sub fertile men boosted their sperm counts by 74%. Zinc is one of the major players in increasing sperm count and deficiency is becoming more and more widespread every year.

How Much?

Eat the above foods noted with Zinc often, or supplement 15mg – 30mg of Zinc daily. 30mg if you are a vegetarian. Buy Here.

43) Take L-Carnitine

According to Italian Researchers, Carnitine helps sluggish sperm. In a study they did, men took 2 grams of L-Carnitine daily for three months and then took none for 3 more months. The men who took the L-Carnitine over the placebo experienced an improvement in sperm motility, a crucial factor in fertility.

How Much:

Take 2 grams daily of L-Carnitine.

Learn More:

Sperm Swim Better With L-Carnitine

44) Take Selenium

As mentioned in the “eat more nuts” section, you can get a full dose of selenium just by consuming Brazilian Nuts. But if for some reason you hate eating nuts, it would be very wise to supplement with Selenium. This will boost your testosterone, increase your sperm count and possibly prevent Cancer.

How Much?

Only 200 micrograms a day is needed. Or 2-3 Brazilian Nuts.

Learn More:

The Effect of Oral Selenium Supplementation on Human Sperm

45) Take Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another critical antioxidant in the production of sperm. In this study, along with Selenium it was proven to improve the quality of your sperm.

How Much?

In the above study, the men took 400 mg of vitamin E daily. Buy Here.

Learn More:

What Are the Benefits of Vitamin E Regarding Sexual Activity for Men?

46) Take L-Arginine

L-Arginine is the amino acid found in nuts which is one of the reasons they are regarded as huge sperm boosters. L-Arginine will increase your sperm count and motility, and has been proven to do so in numerous studies (See link in learn more section). Along with this, it will increase blood flow to your penis resulting in better erection quality. Overall L-Arginine is a fantastic addition to any mans supplement regimen.

How Much?

Start with 1000mg daily. You can increase this amount safely up to 5,000 mg but some find this to be too much.

Learn More:

L-Arginine Boosts Sperm Count And Quality

47) Take Tongkat Ali Extract

Tongkat ali extract is man most potent sexual enhancer. This herb is proven to increase libido, boost testosterone, increase sperm count, increase sperm volume, increase ejaculation power, decrease your refractory period & much more. A study of 75 men who cycled tongkat ali extract for 9 months showed a dramatic improvement in all semen parameters. Learn more about this herb below.

How Much?

Base it on your manufacturer’s recommendation. Strengths vary. But don’t buy it anywhere, tongkat ali extract is easily faked. We buy from Herbolab.com and it is a very reputable and potent manufacturer.

Learn More:

Everything You Need to Know About Tongkat Ali Extract

48) Take Maca

Maca is another potent male enhancing herb that you may not be taking advantage of. In 2001, the Asian Journal of Andrology released a study showing that Maca increased the seminal volume, sperm motility and sperm count in men. A year later, they released a 12 week study on males between the age of 20 and 55 which showed that after 12 weeks all men not in the placebo group noted an improvement in libido.

How Much?

Base it on your manufacturers recommendation. Strengths vary. We also buy Maca from Herbolab.com and it is a reputable and potent source.

Learn More:

User Review of Maca Use

49) Take Ginseng

Ginseng is an extremely popular sperm enhancer. It is also shown to improve blood flow to the penis and help improve erection quality, energy levels and much more.

How Much?

When opting for Ginseng, choose Asian Ginseng (also known as Korean Ginseng or Panax Ginseng). Asian ginseng should also be taken in cycles. For example, take every day for 2 – 3 weeks, then stop for 3 weeks, then start back. Take 200mg to 400mg daily. Buy Here.

Learn More:

Ginseng And The Male Reproduction System (Study)

50) Don’t Take Steroids

And to top off the list, if you think that taking steroids will make you more of a man, you are wrong. While it will increase the size of your muscles, taking steroids is proven to reduce the amount and quality of your sperm.

How Much?

None.

51) Try Ashwagandha

This is an amazing herb for men. Recently there was a clinical study showing that one particular type of ashwagandha not only increased sperm count (sperm concentration increased by 167%), but also increased semen volume by 53%, testosterone by 17%, and sperm motility by 57%. Read more here.

Go here to buy the best ashwagandha.

Learn More:

Anabolic Steroids And Semen Parameters in Bodybuilders (Study)

In Conclusion

Remember, it takes 10-11 weeks for sperm to be produced. So you cannot just try some of the things listed above and expect to have super sperm by tomorrow morning. These things take time. But even knocking 40% of these things off your list will be enough to give you a dramatic increase in your sperm count. Want the best sperm in the world? Then try all 50.

If you enjoyed this article please share it and comment below! Thank you!

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The Top 10 Supplements That Will Increase Your Sperm Count

The Top 10 Foods That Will Increase Your Sperm Count Naturally

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