Male fertility depends on the number of sperm, their hardiness and motility, the ability of sperm to move properly toward the egg. Most fertile men have a sperm count of more than 20 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Sperm count is affected by your overall health as well as nutrition. If you're deficient in certain vitamins, supplements may help improve your sperm count and fertility, the Mayo Clinic says.
Folic Acid and Zinc
ZInc and folic acid are involved in DNA synthesis, an early step in sperm production. According to a study cited by the Bastyr Center, infertile men can benefit from supplementation with 5mg folic acid and 15mg zinc daily. Although their sperm counts did not reach normal levels, they increased significantly by 74 percent. Taking either supplement alone was as not effective.
L-arginine
L-arginine is an amino acid, one of the molecules that form the building blocks of proteins in the body. Several small-scale studies have demonstrated that L-arginine increases sperm count, although larger clinical trials are still needed. A typical dose is 4g per day. However, in these studies, men with very low sperm counts of less than 10 million sperm per milliliter did not benefit from L-arginine. Discuss your options with a health care provider before beginning any new supplementation regime.
Other Vitamins
Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that protect the body from damage to DNA and other molecules. A typical dose is 1,000mcg vitamin C and 800IU vitamin E per day. Selenium is a trace nutrient that increases sperm production and motility. A selenium supplement should provide 200mcg per day. Vitamin B-12 deficiency produces low sperm motility and can be alleviated by a vitamin containing 1,000mcg vitamin-B12 per day. A high-quality daily multivitamin provides these and other nutrients that are essential for overall good health, the Urology Channel says.
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