Healthy embryos start with healthy sperm

When pregnancy has not happened despite trying, when miscarriages keep occurring or when an IVF cycle has been unsuccessful, it is natural to focus on the woman: her age, eggs, hormones, diet and lifestyle.

But a healthy embryo starts with both a healthy egg and healthy sperm.

Male factors contribute to approximately 50% of fertility challenges. Poor sperm quality and sperm DNA fragmentation may also be linked with unexplained infertility, poor embryo development, embryos that stop developing before reaching the blastocyst stage on day five or six, and recurrent miscarriage.

The good news is that men continually produce new sperm. Because sperm development takes approximately 70 to 90 days, changes made today can influence sperm quality over the next three to six months.

Start with diet and lifestyle

What a man eats and how he lives can affect his sperm.

For the three to six months before trying to conceive, IUI or IVF, we recommend:

• eating an antioxidant-rich, whole-food diet with plenty of vegetables, healthy fats and quality protein
• exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight
• getting adequate sleep and rest
• reducing stress
• eliminating cannabis and smoking
• reducing or eliminating alcohol
• avoiding excessive heat, including hot tubs and frequent saunas
• reducing exposure to environmental chemicals and endocrine-disrupting substances where possible

Download the Acubalance Fertility Diet for practical guidance on eating to support fertility and reproductive health.

Add targeted antioxidant support

Diet should be the foundation, but targeted supplementation can provide additional nutrients shown to support sperm count, motility and protection against oxidative DNA damage.

The dose matters.

Many male fertility supplements contain the right ingredients, but not necessarily at doses supported by research. We have vetted our recommended protocol for both its ingredients and dosages.

We recommend starting three to six months before trying to conceive, IUI or IVF whenever possible.