What should men do to conceive

It should not be confused with L-aspartic acid, which makes up the structure of many proteins and is far more common than D-AA.

D-AA is mainly present in certain glands, such as the testicles, as well as in semen and sperm cells. Researchers believe that D-AA is implicated in male fertility. In fact, D-AA levels are significantly lower in infertile men than fertile men 3. This is supported by studies showing that D-AA supplements may increase levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone that plays an essential role in male fertility. For example, a study in infertile men suggested that taking 2.

The number of pregnancies also increased among their partners 4. However, the evidence is not consistent. More research is needed to investigate the potential long-term risks and benefits of D-AA supplements in humans.

Shop for D-aspartic acid supplements online. Besides being good for your general health, exercising regularly can boost testosterone levels and improve fertility. Studies show that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels and better semen quality than inactive men 8 , 9 , However, you should avoid too much exercise, as it may have the opposite effect and potentially reduce testosterone levels.

Getting the right amount of zinc can minimize this risk 11 , 12 , If you rarely exercise but want to improve your fertility, make becoming physically active one of your top priorities. Some evidence indicates that taking antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C, may improve fertility. Oxidative stress is when levels of reactive oxygen species ROS reach harmful levels in the body. ROS are constantly being produced in the body, but their levels are kept in check in healthy people.

High levels of ROS may promote tissue injury and inflammation, increasing the risk of chronic disease Taking in enough antioxidants , such as vitamin C, may help counteract some of these harmful effects. Another observational study in Indian industrial workers suggested that taking 1, mg of vitamin C five times a week for 3 months may protect against DNA damage caused by ROS in sperm cells.

Vitamin C supplements also significantly improved sperm count and motility, while reducing the numbers of deformed sperm cells Taken together, these findings suggest that vitamin C may help improve fertility in infertile men with oxidative stress. Stress may reduce your sexual satisfaction and impair your fertility 22 , 23 , Prolonged stress raises levels of cortisol, which has strong negative effects on testosterone.

When cortisol goes up, testosterone levels tend to go down 25 , While severe, unexplained anxiety is typically treated with medication, milder forms of stress can be reduced with relaxation techniques.

Stress management can be as simple as taking a walk in nature, meditating, exercising, or spending time with friends. Vitamin D can be important for male and female fertility. One observational study showed that vitamin-D-deficient men were more likely to have low testosterone levels Open pop-up dialog box Male reproductive system Close. Male reproductive system The male reproductive system makes, stores and moves sperm.

Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Anawalt BD, et al. Causes of male infertility. Accessed Feb. Infertility and men. Hormone Health Network. Hornstein MD, et al. Optimizing natural fertility in couples planning pregnancy. McAninch JW, et al.

Male infertility. In: Smith and Tanagho's General Urology. How common is it? What are the symptoms? What are the causes? What are the genetic causes? What can I do? How is it diagnosed? What are the treatment options?

Can I do anything to prevent male infertility? Can older age cause male fertility problems? Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering. Video call. This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care.

If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional. For more information, please visit the links below:. You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly. There is a total of 5 error s on this form, details are below. Please enter your name Please enter your email Your email is invalid. Please check and try again Please enter recipient's email Recipient's email is invalid.

Please check and try again Agree to Terms required. Thank you for sharing our content. A message has been sent to your recipient's email address with a link to the content webpage. Your name: is required Error: This is required. Your email: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value. Send to: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value. If you want to conceive a baby, it is important to: start trying to fall pregnant before you are 40, if possible be in a healthy weight range quit smoking cut back on alcohol avoid exposure to some chemicals About your age Men can make sperm into their 70s and beyond, but the quality of the sperm declines as they get older.

Overweight men interested in optimizing fertility should attempt to attain an ideal body weight. Antioxidants such as vitamins E and C are found in most multi-vitamins. They have been found to result in a slight increase in both sperm count and movement. Fruits and vegetables also provide a natural source of antioxidants and should be part of a balanced and healthy diet. Smoking is associated with reduced sperm quality. Men who are trying to conceive should consider stopping smoking immediately.

Also, recreational drugs, including anabolic steroids and marijuana, are associated with impaired sperm function. They should not be used.