If you hope to become a father, take care of your health before conception. A healthy man has a better chance of successfully fathering a child, just as a healthy woman has a better chance of conceiving and carrying a baby to full-term. To increase your fertility, lose weight if you need to, exercise, kick tobacco, moderate alcohol intake and follow a healthy diet.
Avoid Saturated and Monounsaturated Fat
Avoiding saturated fat is always a good idea, but particularly so if you hope to become a father. A 2010 study done at the Harvard Medical School examined the relationship between sperm count and dietary fat. Lead researcher Jill Attaman and her team found a high intake of saturated fat, found in meat and whole-fat dairy, correlated with a 41 percent reduction in sperm. The bigger surprise was that high monounsaturated fat, found in vegetable oils, avocados, peanut butter, and some nuts and seeds, correlated with 46 percent fewer sperm. Monounsaturated fat is normally considered healthy. Dr. Attaman cautioned a reduction in sperm count might be an issue only if the man already has a marginal count.
Omega Fatty Acids
The Harvard study also found higher omega-6 fatty acid consumption resulted in improved sperm motility, while higher omega-3 consumption resulted in sperm with better size and shape. Researchers in a 2010 University of Illinois study removed a gene responsible for synthesizing docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, from mice. As a result, the mice had low amounts of misshapen sperm that did not move well. When DHA was given to the mice, their sperm count, size and motility was restored. DHA is found in fish oil. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in some plants and converted by the body into DHA. Good dietary sources are soybean products, canola oil, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.
Wheat, Barley and Rye
Celiac disease involves a sensitivity to gluten -- found in wheat, barley and rye -- that results in inflammation of the small intestine. It has long been recognized in Europe, but until recently was thought to be rare in the United States. Symptoms can include diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue and anemia. According to Columbia University's Celiac Disease Center, having celiac increases the risk of infertility in both sexes.
Carnitine, Vitamins and Minerals
A deficiency in carnitine, an amino acid that helps turn fat into energy, has been linked to male infertility, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dietary sources include red meat, fish, poultry, dairy, wheat, asparagus and peanut butter, but some medications interfere with the body's ability to use it. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions with medications you take. The University of Michigan Healthy System also advises to get extra antioxidants, such as selenium and vitamins C and E, through diet or supplements, as well as zinc and copper. Taken as a whole, the advice is to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, and take the initiative to identify medical conditions or medications that may interfere with your fertility.
References
- MedlinePlus: Dietary Fats Seem to Affect Sperm Quality
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: U of I Study: Lack of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Linked to Male Infertility
- Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University: Associated Condition
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Carnitine (L-carnitine)
- University of Michigan Health System: Male Infertility
