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Male Factor Infertility

What it is, why it happens, and what you can do to improve sperm health.

What is Male Factor Infertility?

Okay, here’s something most people don’t talk about enough — male fertility matters just as much as female fertility. In fact, male factor infertility plays a role in up to 50% of infertility cases. That’s right — half!

Male infertility usually comes down to problems with sperm — not enough, they don’t swim well, or they’re shaped in ways that make it harder to fertilize an egg. And the wild part? Most guys have no idea anything’s wrong until they’ve been trying to conceive for a while with no luck.

If you have been trying to conceive for over 3-6 months and your partner still isn’t pregnant, keep reading. Because what you learn may just change your life (and chances of conceiving entirely)!

 

Signs There Might Be a Problem

The tricky thing is that male infertility doesn’t always come with obvious symptoms. Most guys feel totally fine. But sometimes there are clues, like:

  • Low sex drive
  • Erectile issues
  • Testicle pain or swelling
  • Changes in ejaculation (less semen than usual)
  • Or, most commonly: your partner isn’t getting pregnant after ~3-6 months of trying (especially if there was preparation involved).

 

How to Test for It

The gold standard for checking sperm health is a semen analysis — basically, you provide a sample, and a lab looks at things like:
📊 Sperm count — How many sperm are in each mL of semen (you want 15 million+).
🏊 Sperm motility — How well they swim (at least 40% should be moving).
🔬 Sperm morphology — How many sperm look “normal” (you want at least 4% to be the right shape).

 

What Causes Male Factor Infertility?

Sperm are highly sensitive — it takes about 2-3 months to make a batch, and anything from toxins to stress to nutrient deficiencies can mess things up. Some of the biggest causes include:

❌ Oxidative Stress & Toxins — Things like smoking, pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and even pollution can damage sperm DNA.

💥 Hormone Imbalances — Low testosterone (or high estrogen) can tank sperm production.

🔥 Varicocele — This is basically a varicose vein in the scrotum, and it’s super common — affecting about 15% of men. It overheats the testicles and reduces sperm quality.

🥗 Nutrient Deficiencies — Low levels of zinc, selenium, CoQ10, and Vitamin D can all affect sperm health.

🍻 Lifestyle Factors — Too much alcohol, being overweight, lack of exercise, sitting all day (hello, laptops on laps), and stress can all lower sperm count and quality .

 

How This Affects Your Fertility

If sperm health is off, conception can feel like trying to swim upstream with a backpack full of rocks. Issues like:

  • Not enough sperm to even reach the egg
  • Sperm swimming too slowly or in the wrong direction
  • DNA damage that makes fertilization or embryo development harder

The good news?

Sperm health can change fast — since it only takes about 72 days to make a new batch, lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in just a few months.

 

How to Improve Sperm Health (Naturally)

Here’s the game plan I recommend to my clients (and their partners):

âś… Eat for Healthy Sperm:

Fill your plate with whole, nutrient-dense foods, including:

  • Zinc-rich foods (oysters, beef, shrimp)
  • Selenium-rich foods (Brazil nuts, shellfish, fish)
  • CoQ10-rich foods (sardines, beef heart)
  • And other sperm-supportive nutrients!

âś… Ditch Toxins:

Make these swaps to promote better testosterone levels and reduce exposure that could potentially damage sperm quality.

  • Use glass instead of plastic
  • Skip pesticides (go organic when possible)
  • Cut back on alcohol and tobacco
  • Avoid overheating your testicles (no hot tubs, laptops directly on your lap, or tight undies)

âś… Get Moving (But Not Too Much):

Moderate exercise boosts testosterone and sperm health, but overtraining can backfire.

✅ Test, Don’t Guess:

A good semen analysis — ideally with a functional lab that also looks at DNA fragmentation — can tell you exactly where you stand.

 

We Can Help!

So many couples are told everything’s fine with the guy after a basic semen analysis — but that’s not always the full story. And this is why:

Conventional medicine focuses on diagnosis and treatment of infertility, often with medications or expensive treatments like IUI or IVF. It looks for big, obvious issues (e.g., blocked tubes, low sperm count, hormone imbalances—not the sneaky things that could also be preventing you from achieving a successful pregnancy).

Another reality: Conventional medicine uses standard lab ranges, which might miss “subclinical” issues (things that aren’t technically out of range but aren’t optimal for fertility). And it often treats symptoms (again, with medications or procedures), but doesn’t always dig deep into why those issues exist in the first place.

If you want to boost sperm health naturally and get a real plan in place, we can help with functional testing, personalized nutrition, and more.

đź“Ť Apply for support here.

 

Learn More

📰 Vitamin A + Male Fertility 

đź“° Low Testosterone Starter Pack

đź“° Vitamin B12 & Fertility

📰 6 Sources of Vitamin B12

References

  1. Agarwal, A., et al. (2021). Male infertility. The Lancet, 397(10271), 319-333. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32667-2
  2. Du Plessis, S. S., et al. (2015). The effect of oxidative stress on male reproduction. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 21(28), 3241-3250. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867321666140820150806
  3. Jensen, T. K., et al. (2004). Body mass index in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormones among 1,558 Danish men. Fertility and Sterility, 82(4), 863-870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.03.056
  4. Naughton, C. K., et al. (2001). Varicocele and male infertility: Part II—Pathophysiology of varicoceles in male infertility. Human Reproduction Update, 7(5), 473-481. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/7.5.473
  5. Panner Selvam, M. K., et al. (2019). Effect of antioxidants on sperm quality and fertility potential in advanced age men: A systematic review. Aging Male, 22(2), 155-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/13685538.2018.1458203
  6. Salas-Huetos, A., et al. (2018). Dietary patterns, foods and nutrients in male fertility parameters and fecundability: A systematic review of observational studies. Human Reproduction Update, 24(6), 593-615. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmy033
  7. Vaamonde, D., et al. (2009). Effect of intense exercise on semen quality and reproductive hormones in male triathletes. Fertility and Sterility, 93(6), 1737-1743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.05.027

 

*Not medical advice. Always discuss changes to your healthcare routine with your doctor.  Â