Sperm Tips
Hey ladies, as a few of us are currently trying to improve our OH's sperm, thought it may be good to share our top tips and fertility food recipes as we all keep repeating them! I remember posting about recipes on a thread a while back with ldom but can't remember where it was now.... So here are some of mine, will post again when I think of more and add yours as and when:
TIPS
Loose boxers
No laptops on crotch
No mobiles in pockets
Drink plenty of water
No hot baths
No saunas / jacuzzis etc
Release sperm every few days at least (but not too often!)
Reduce caffeine intake
Reduce alcohol intake
No smoking
No illicit drugs
Exercise
Reduce stress as much as possible
Avoid heated car seats
Avoid cycling (including in the gym and spinning classes)
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
Acupuncture
FERTILITY FOODS
Sweet potato
Brazil nuts
Spinach
Tomatoes (or anything containing antioxidants / vitamin C)
Essential oils (from oily fish, nuts, seeds particularly pumpkin and sunflower)
Also this webchat was about diet and worth a look
http://www.babyexpert.com/chatroom/topic/125925
RECIPES
Fish pie topped with combination of sweet potato and normal potato
Cottage pie topped with combination of sweet potato and normal potato
Sweet potato and spinach soup (with leeks, onion, pot, sweet pot, spinach)
Roasted tomato soup
Roast / mash sweet potatoes
Sprinkle nuts and seeds on cereal, salads etc.
VITAMINS
Good multivitamin (e.g., Wellman) or specific fertility viatmin (e.g., Zita West vitamens) or combination of vitamins listed below (from Zita West book, courtesy of Gemsicles):
268mg of 400IU-Vitamin E with 50 micrograms selenium (Improves sperm's ability to bind to and penetrate an egg. Selenium is needed to form normal shaped sperm, to maintain a normal sperm count, proper functioning of maturation and motility)
50 micrograms-Selenium (See above-recommended daily dose for men 75mcg)
1000mg-Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (Low levels linked to genetically damaged sperm-can cause birth defects. Improves sperm motility and count. Prevents sperm clumping together.
15mg-High strength amino acid chelated zinc with 0.75mg copper (Needed for motility and good sperm count, Zinc reduces excessive oestrogen levels in men which is linked to low sperm count)
75mg-Super Co-enzyme Q10 (Not sure of exact benefits but heard its a good all rounder)
500 micrograms-Vitamin B12 (Low levels are associated with abnormal sperm production, reduced counts and reduced motility)
500mg-L-Arginine (Studies show it can double sperm count)
400 micrograms-Folic acid (Improves sperm count and motility and reduces morphological abnormalities)
200 micrograms-Chromium picolinate (Gynae told me to get it for DH's problems, which were slow swimmers, clumping together, 40% motility)
500mg-L-Carnitine (Essential for normal functioning of sperm)
500mg-Calcium magnesium (250mg magnesium/500mg calcium)-(Calcium aids the absorption of vitamin B12. Gynae told us to get magnesium for DH's problems, which were slow swimmers, clumping together, 40% motility)
Come on ladies lets get those sperm moving!!!!!! Oh these poor poor men!!!! xxx
[Modified by: tinybabydancer on 24 October 2009 09:14:30 ]
TIPS
Loose boxers
No laptops on crotch
No mobiles in pockets
Drink plenty of water
No hot baths
No saunas / jacuzzis etc
Release sperm every few days at least (but not too often!)
Reduce caffeine intake
Reduce alcohol intake
No smoking
No illicit drugs
Exercise
Reduce stress as much as possible
Avoid heated car seats
Avoid cycling (including in the gym and spinning classes)
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
Acupuncture
FERTILITY FOODS
Sweet potato
Brazil nuts
Spinach
Tomatoes (or anything containing antioxidants / vitamin C)
Essential oils (from oily fish, nuts, seeds particularly pumpkin and sunflower)
Also this webchat was about diet and worth a look
http://www.babyexpert.com/chatroom/topic/125925
RECIPES
Fish pie topped with combination of sweet potato and normal potato
Cottage pie topped with combination of sweet potato and normal potato
Sweet potato and spinach soup (with leeks, onion, pot, sweet pot, spinach)
Roasted tomato soup
Roast / mash sweet potatoes
Sprinkle nuts and seeds on cereal, salads etc.
VITAMINS
Good multivitamin (e.g., Wellman) or specific fertility viatmin (e.g., Zita West vitamens) or combination of vitamins listed below (from Zita West book, courtesy of Gemsicles):
268mg of 400IU-Vitamin E with 50 micrograms selenium (Improves sperm's ability to bind to and penetrate an egg. Selenium is needed to form normal shaped sperm, to maintain a normal sperm count, proper functioning of maturation and motility)
50 micrograms-Selenium (See above-recommended daily dose for men 75mcg)
1000mg-Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (Low levels linked to genetically damaged sperm-can cause birth defects. Improves sperm motility and count. Prevents sperm clumping together.
15mg-High strength amino acid chelated zinc with 0.75mg copper (Needed for motility and good sperm count, Zinc reduces excessive oestrogen levels in men which is linked to low sperm count)
75mg-Super Co-enzyme Q10 (Not sure of exact benefits but heard its a good all rounder)
500 micrograms-Vitamin B12 (Low levels are associated with abnormal sperm production, reduced counts and reduced motility)
500mg-L-Arginine (Studies show it can double sperm count)
400 micrograms-Folic acid (Improves sperm count and motility and reduces morphological abnormalities)
200 micrograms-Chromium picolinate (Gynae told me to get it for DH's problems, which were slow swimmers, clumping together, 40% motility)
500mg-L-Carnitine (Essential for normal functioning of sperm)
500mg-Calcium magnesium (250mg magnesium/500mg calcium)-(Calcium aids the absorption of vitamin B12. Gynae told us to get magnesium for DH's problems, which were slow swimmers, clumping together, 40% motility)
Come on ladies lets get those sperm moving!!!!!! Oh these poor poor men!!!! xxx
[Modified by: tinybabydancer on 24 October 2009 09:14:30 ]
0
Replies
Reduce caffeine intake
Reduce alcohol intake
No smoking
Exercise
Avoid heated car seats
Avoid cycling (including in the gym and spinning classes)
Now I hate to sound like I work for the company (I don't!!!) but we saw an improvement in MrD's motility after three months on Zita West's Vitamen tablets. They cost ??18 per month (less with an Access Diagnositcs code), so not cheap, but I found it easier than buying loads of different vits from Holland & Barrett.
Oh, and I love sweet potato - mashed, baked, roasted etc. I find I can substitute it for traditional old potatoes in pretty much anything. They don't need butter or cheese, so they are healthier too.
Chickidee, he he - I do feel about all these men across the country taking loads of vits becuase of me advertising that list! But really hope they work for you.
xxx
"Wow, we seem to be eating lots of tomatoes and spinach recently"
"Yeah...I'm trying to turn your boys into super soldiers" he he xxx
[Modified by: HappyTraveller on October 22, 2009 08:52 AM]
[Modified by: HappyTraveller on October 22, 2009 08:53 AM]
Doing this has made me notice that my fertility recipes heavily involve sweet pots....does anyone else have any other good recipes? Although we're going for IVF I still want to imporve hubbie's sperm if we can as it may not work and we'll want to keep TTC naturally while we save up more money (not very PMA of me I know...) xx
Right I know we've probably got most of it covered now....but any more tips or recipes ladies?? xx
or from access diagnostics and you can can get a 5% discount by entering BABYEXPERT in promotional code bit
http://www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Zita_West_Supplements___Vitamins.html
Trust you to be thinking of this for everyone.
A great reminder..... I might just up the sweet potato soups for a few weeks!! bug hugs to you, hope you're not too hot and bothered in this weather. xxx
Rocky, if you're hubbie doesn't like pills, the zita west / wellman / ones susee suggests may be best as my hubbie was on about 10 different tablets and wasn't too pleased.
Lilly, bless you, you're such a sweetie! Bug hugs too. Enjoy your sweet potatoes....how about sweet pot salad??
xx
Rocky, oh I see!! I haven't seen all of them, but the wellman ones are just standard multivitamin size so not too big. Some of the individual ones were pretty large, so if you go for those I'd ask the assistant for some help. You could go for wellman plus some of the individual ones that your dh specifically needs and wellman may be lacking in?
xx