How is healthy sperm
Contents
- How is healthy sperm
- Color, smell and texture
- Causes of thick or gelatinous semen
- Unbalanced diet
- Dehydration
- Venereal infection or disease
- Low testosterone levels
- Have sex often
- Follow a more balanced diet
- Male diet
- Diet and fertility
- Playing sports
- Having regular sexual activity
There are many questions that are often asked by men about the state of their sperm, and this happens especially if they try to have a baby.
The state of the sperm is influenced by several factors, of which we may not be aware. To establish the quality of the sperm, consistency, color, odor, volume, concentration of sperm, and anomalous factors are usually analyzed.
Semen that falls within the normal parameters will have a not exactly smooth and cloudy consistency, which clears up within 30 minutes, and may have a more or less strong odor.
Motility is very important when it comes to sperm quality, as is the appearance of sperm. Color, smell and texture
Semen generally has a whitish or gray color immediately after ejaculation.
Its state after leaking is quite dense, although after a while it tends to become more watery. If this change does not take place there may be a dehydration problem, which is easily resolved by drinking a little more. If nothing happens after 6-7 days, see a doctor.
It is also possible to see semen with red or yellow streaks, which could be completely normal, but if a strong and unpleasant odor also follows this condition, there could be an infection.
Generally the ejaculated sperm should be about 2ml and 6ml with a sperm count that can go up to more than 100 million.
A low ejaculate volume can be a wake-up call for other diseases, such as diabetes, or a prostate infection. Generally, older men will experience a fairly small volume. Causes of thick or gelatinous sperm
There are many factors that can influence the state of sperm, from what we eat, to our state of hydration, to get to pathologies.
Generally, a change in the shape or color of the sperm is a wake-up call, which may or may not be anything serious, as we shall see. Unbalanced diet
An unbalanced diet can negatively affect your sperm. In particular, if you are trying to have a baby, you should follow a certain diet, in order to have a greater number of sperm and therefore have more possibilities in that sense. Dehydration
As we mentioned earlier, hydration also helps sperm to be healthier. In fact, if the sperm is too thick and does not become clear soon after, you may be dehydrated. In this case you should run for cover, trying to replenish fluids and therefore well at least 1 and a half liters of water a day. Venereal infection or disease
Venereal infections or diseases can also alter the state of the sperm. In general, infections often give semen a yellowish discoloration, which is the wake-up call to point out that something is wrong.
If this is your case, the suggestion is to consult a specialist, who will prescribe you in-depth analyzes. Low testosterone levels
Low testosterone levels can negatively affect the quality of your sperm. However, this problem can be treated with drugs such as clomiphene or an aromatase inhibitor. However, men with low sperm counts should not take testosterone, as this could stop the body’s natural testosterone production and suppress sperm production.
If the hormones that stimulate the testes to produce sperm are low, this can lead to a low sperm count. This can be caused by thyroid dysfunction or by an increase in a hormone called prolactin. Also in this case it is possible to proceed with the use of specific drugs. Have sex often
Interestingly, having intercourse multiple times a day could help you have healthier sperm. A study in 576 men looked at the results of semen analyzes of men who ejaculated twice in a 1-4 hour period. This study showed that, in contrast to men with normal fertility, men with low sperm counts had no significant difference in the number of sperm produced in the second sample.
The pooled samples significantly increased total sperm count, potentially increasing the chances of pregnancy.
Another small 2016 study had similar results, concluding that, for men with low sperm counts, ejaculating twice in an hour produced more normal sperm and better motility in the second ejaculation.
So, the more you have sex and ejaculate, the healthier your sperm will be. Follow a more balanced diet Male diet
The results of studies carried out in this regard show that a healthy diet rich in certain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, some antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C, β-carotene, selenium, zinc, cryptoxanthin and lycopene) and other vitamins (vitamin D and folate), and a low intake of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids are associated with improved sperm quality.
Additionally, low-fat fish and shellfish, chicken, grains, vegetables, and fruits or dairy products are also associated with improved sperm quality or sperm activity.
Conversely, excessive consumption of red and processed meats, soy-rich foods, sugary and sweetened beverages, some whole-grain dairy products, and alcohol and caffeine intake are associated, in some studies, with decreased sperm quality. . Diet and Fertility
Regarding fertility, high consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and red and processed meats in men was negatively correlated with the probabilities of pregnancy and the fertilization rates of couples.
According to the researchers, the work published in the Human Reproduction Update served to provide a global view on the relationship between diet, as well as the consumption of different foods and nutrients, with male fertility and fertilization so that, in the future, they can make safe and effective dietary recommendations based on scientific evidence.
The authors conclude that adherence of men to a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean one, could significantly improve sperm quality and increase the couple’s fertilization rate. Playing sports
In addition to following a healthy diet, one should also exercise or play sports. Studies have linked being overweight to low semen quality and quantity. Losing weight is an easy way to eliminate these problems with sperm.
Along with diet and training it is also recommended to quit smoking. Studies show that smoking cigarettes can have adverse effects on sperm health, as well as reducing the use of alcohol and other drugs. Excessive drinking can lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production. Having regular sexual activity
For men with normal sperm count, sperm volume and sperm count / concentration increase after two days of abstinence. However, the quality of the sperm, hence the motility (movement) and morphology (shape) of the sperm, decreases after two days of abstinence, with a significant impact after 7-10 days.
It seems that very regular sexual activity is recommended, even for men with fairly low sperm counts.
A study of more than 9,400 sperm samples from over 6,000 patients suggests that, for men with low sperm counts, peak sperm motility (i.e., sperm movement) was reached after just one day of abstinence.