Of the 15 percent of American couples who are infertile, according to MayoClinic.com, around 40 percent have sperm issues that cause or contribute to the problem, the Malpani Fertility Clinic states. A sperm count of less than 20 million per milliliter is considered low, because even though it only takes one sperm to fertilize an egg, it takes many to reach and penetrate the egg. Some herbs promise to increase sperm count, but none are proven to work. Don't take herbs for low sperm count without discussing it with your doctor.
Asian Ginseng
A 1996 study of 60 men conducted by G. Salvati of the University of Rome showed that taking 4 g of Asian ginseng, sometimes called by its Latin name, Panax ginseng, daily for three months improved sperm count and motility. Of the group, 30 had low sperm counts from unknown cause and 30 had low sperm counts and varicocele, dilated blood vessels in the testicle that raise the temperature in the testicle, which can damage sperm. Twenty of the men were in a control group with no sperm problems.
Maca
Maca, an herb found in the Andes Mountains, may have some benefit in increasing sperm count. A small four-month study of nine men conducted by the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru and reported by lead author G.F. Gonzales in the "Asian Journal of Andrology" in 2001 found that administration of Lepidium meyenii, also known as Maca, improved sperm count and motility. Since these were men with normal sperm counts, it's not possible to say whether maca would have the same effect on infertile men. Also, the small study size makes it difficult to say whether the herb would have benefits in a larger population.
Saw Palmetto
Although saw palmetto has been traditionally used by Native Americans to increase sperm count, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, no studies support its use for this purpose.
