Low Sperm Count?

I have had a few people recently, who have mentioned that their husbands (or partners) have been diagnosed with a low sperm count. I think that this is probably one of the "easier" obstacles to overcome when it comes to being diagnosed with infertility issues. My friend Jeni who does "Ask Jeni" was asked this question through email from one of my clients, and the information that Jeni was able to provide I thought might be beneficial to alot of the other readers who read the blog who might have been uncomfortable to ask the question themselves.

I have copied/pasted what was in the email here for everyone to read, its been edited to not include any particulars about who the original email was for. If there are any questions about this post, or need clarification or further questions, please respond in the comments section or even email me cheri22@gmail.com with "ask jeni" in the subject line. Everything will be forwarded to her:)

I am sorry it took a few days to get back to you, but this topic is quite a "questionable" topic as to what really works and what does not. As far as increasing your husband's sperm count, there are a few things he can do to increase the count slightly.

A big one on the boards when i was trying to get pregnant was to avoid overheating his testicles. Basically, stay away from Hot tubs, saunas and hot baths. Shower only.

Below is a few things i got from an ezine article on increasing sperm count: .
Have sex & masturbate less often - the more times you ejaculate, the less dense your semen will be. Maintain a gap of 3 days between two consecutive ejaculations.
2. Refrain from habits like smoking, alcohol consumption etc. - Alcohol affects your liver function, which, in turn, causes a dramatic rise in estrogen levels. Even two drinks a day will have long-term effects on sperm production
3. Exercise regularly.Exercising your PC muscle can help you shoot further than ever before.
4. Eat Nutritious Food - Diet that's low in fat, and high in protein, vegetables, and whole grains is good for your health and for your sperm. Avoid bitter, astringent and spicy foods.Reduce caffeine intake
5. Avoid heating of testicles - Wear loose, cotton boxer shorts, Avoid hot baths and saunas
6. Lose any excess weight, which tends to cause testosterone/oestrogen imbalances.
7. Reduce stress levels by learning relaxation techniques - Keep your mind and body healthy by regular practice of YOGA and MEDITATION.8. Massage body with herbal oil, which improves blood circulation.

Here is also an article from Mayo CLinic that ha a few helpful hints: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fertility/MC00023

As far as the lubricant part, yes it is true. Lubricants do have a tendency when used to decrease motility of sperm---except for ONE!! : ) There is a lubricant on www.early-pregnancy-tests.com called PRESEED. It is the only known sperm friendly lubricant out there that actually HELPS sperm along and does not harm them.

On there are also Ovulation test dipsticks cheap that I swear by! Also, to make it easier for sperm to swim to your tubes to reach an egg, you can take Mucinex (plain, only active ingredient can be guaifenesin) to loosen your mucus and make it more hospitable to sperm around ovulation. What i used was the Equate mucus relief from wal-mart. It is a LOT cheaper!

As far as herbal supplements, there are so many out there that claim to increase sperm count and motility, that you really have to choose carefully. A lot of things out there these days are not true. SO as far as that i am going to stick to what Cheri said and leave it at that. (False Unicorn & Horny Goat Weed)

If you take and mix too many herbal/vitamin supplements without the advice of a physician, you run the risk of making yourself sick. As far as diet, I will post a few links for you to check out. Here they are below! http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/503.html http://infertility.health-info.org/male-infertility/male-infertility-improve-sperm-quality.html http://www.urologychannel.com/maleinfertility/treatment_alternative.shtml

Also, see "proxeed" in the end of this article link. You can google it and get info on this supplement, as it is shown to contain things your body NEEDS I think this one may be worth trying. Also, for your husband see if he would try and consider Accupuncture or reflexology for fertility. Some men and women have actually said they have these "alternative methods" to thank as well.

Remember: It takes ONE sperm to fertilize and egg. If you are very serious about conceiving, I would also consider IUI (insemination) with your husband's sperm so they have less distance to travel.

Good Luck to you!! I hope things work out for the best!
~*~*~BABYDUST~*~*~
Jeni