Male Factor Infertility

An unhealthy life-style can be very hard on sperm production. Dr. Marks recommends his sperm-healthy lifestyle modifications to help improve fertility and sperm healthy anti-oxidants.

1. No heat to the groin area. This includes no hot tubs, hot showers, Jacuzzis or hot saunas. It takes 74 days to make sperm so avoid heat for approximately 3 months prior to trying to conceive or checking a semen analysis.
2. Stay well hydrated.
3. Eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Eat beef three times a week.
5. Try to ejaculate approximately every 24-48 hours, to keep the system revved up.
6. Avoid testosterone replacement and all male hormone/androgen supplements. These can drastically reduce and even zero-out your sperm count. Most often these counts return overtime, but some men remain sterile permanently.
7. Absolutely no tobacco in any for.
8. Absolutely no marijuana or other drug use, as these are associated with reduced testosterone levels and poor sperm counts and morphology (can be an indication of chromosomal abnormalities).
9. Alcohol in moderation. Excess or binge drinking or heavy drinking is associated with significant sperm toxicity.

Anti-oxidants
? Selenium 200 micrograms once a day
? Vitamin C, 250-500 mg, 3 times a day
? Vitamin E 400 international units once a day
? Zinc 50-100 mg once a day
? Coenzyme Q10 30-50 mg once a day
? Folic acid 400 micrograms a day
? B complex once a day
? Fish oil capsules, 2-3 times a day
? Multivitamin with trace minerals once a day

When collecting a semen sample for analysis you he should have 3-5 days of abstinence, the sample should be collected by masturbation into a sterile collection cup or the use of a special collection condom (not any condom), and the sample should be processed by the laboratory within one hour after collection to get the optimum results.