Your sperm is very sensitive to toxins, oxidative stress, and anything that can cause hormonal imbalances. If you’re worried about your fertility, you should try avoiding anything that can ruin your sperm health and jeopardize your fertility.
In the same manner that the food you eat can help improve your sperm health, there are also various foods that can kill your sperm and reduce your fertility. Here are 3 sperm killers you need to stay away from.
-
Processed Meat
Bacon, hotdogs, ham, and other processed meat products often xenoestrogens and anabolic steroids. Xenoestrogens are synthetic compounds that mimic the actions of estrogen. So when you eat products that have high levels of xenoestrogens, it can increase your estrogen levels and cause a hormonal imbalance.
In order for you to maintain your fertility, you need to have normal levels of testosterone and your sex hormone levels need to be balanced. But when your estrogen levels increase due to your high intake of processed meat, it can have deleterious effects on your semen parameters.
In addition, processed meat products often contain high concentrations of saturated fatty acids. Whereas unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 are good for your fertility, saturated fatty acids are strongly associated with decreased fertility parameters.
-
Sweetened Beverages
There are many reasons why sweetened beverages spell bad news for your reproductive potential. For one, sugar-sweetened beverages can increase your risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. These conditions typically result in higher insulin resistance, which, in turn, increases oxidative stress in your body.
When your sperm cells are exposed to oxidative stress, it can result in lower sperm motility, decreased sperm count, as well as higher percentages of sperm with abnormal morphology.
In addition, your sperm cells need glucose in order for them to fully mature and be progressively motile. However, when your insulin resistance is high, it can prevent your sperm cells from receiving the glucose that they need. This is another factor that can reduce your sperm motility.
-
Full-Fat Dairy Products
Not all dairy products are bad for your sperm health. Low-fat dairy and skimmed milk may have certain positive effects on your fertility but full-fat dairy, cheese, and total dairy products are strongly associated with poor sperm quality.
The main problem with commercial milk is that they’re derived from cows that are in different stages of pregnancy. This means that commercial milk products often contain estrogen coming from the pregnant cows. As mentioned earlier, when your estrogen levels are higher than they should be, it can have detrimental effects on your fertility.
Another problem with full-fat dairy products is that they usually contain high concentrations of saturated fatty acids and trans fat. Studies have shown that high intakes of trans fat-rich foods often result in low sperm counts.
Changing Your Dietary Habits
One way for you to improve your fertility is by modifying your dietary habits. You can avoid foods that are known to be deleterious to sperm health, or at least minimize your intake of fatty foods, sweetened beverages, and full-dairy products.
In addition, you can increase your intake of foods that are known to have positive effects on your sperm count and quality. That means you need to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Dark green veggies and colorful fruits can give you a lot of antioxidants that can help protect your sperm from oxidative stress damage. That means your sperm motility will be greatly enhanced.
Aside from antioxidants, plant-based foods can also give you the vitamins and minerals you need for normal sperm production and development. For instance, you can increase your intake of zinc and folic acid if you regularly include cruciferous vegetables in your diet. Zinc and folic acid are both necessary for the proper formation and development of healthy sperm.
Another way that you can increase your fertility is by taking herbal supplements that are known to improve semen parameters. Tribulus terrestris, for instance, is scientifically recognized not only as a treatment for erectile dysfunction but also for increasing sperm motility, sperm count, and improving sperm morphology.
You should check out some impressive all-natural male enhancement supplement that not only enhances your sexual prowess but also boosts your fertility. That’s because it contains natural ingredients like Tribulus terrestris, horny goat weed, maca, and tongkat ali.
These medicinal plants have been scientifically proven to help improve erectile function and increase male fertility. Moreover, it also contains potent aphrodisiacs like Butea superba and damiana which can help improve your testosterone levels.