When it comes to declining fertility levels across the UK, most people think fertility issues are linked to women’s health. The truth? 50% of all couple fertility challenges are down to the male. And it’s not just down to conception; men play a central role in pregnancy by influencing the health of the placenta, the baby’s gender via their X or Y chromosomes, and even physical features like the developing baby’s height.
New research also shows the father’s diet, stress levels, weight, and smoking and alcohol habits can all influence future children’s metabolic, cardiovascular, and mental health by influencing epigenetics - essentially deciding whether specific genes are switched ‘on’ or ‘off’.
No pressure guys…
The good news is that you can take charge and make a huge difference to the health of your hormones, sperm, fertility and overall wellbeing with some pretty simple diet and lifestyle practices.
It takes around 70-90 days for the body to produce new sperm cells, so if improving yours is on your mind, take this as your time to start.
In this blog, you’ll learn:
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Why sperm count & concentration matter
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How testosterone impacts fertility
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Foods for male fertility
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Key lifestyle practices
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Our male fertility checklist and blood markers to check for
Why sperm count & concentration matter
Recent studies suggest sperm concentration and quality has fallen by about 50% worldwide over the last 50 years, with one major review estimating a drop from roughly 101 million/mL in 1973 to 49 million/mL in 2018, and total sperm count falling by about 62%. This matters, because a higher number of sperm directly increases the odds that at least one healthy cell will survive the journey towards fertilising the female’s egg. And that journey is pretty rough, so only the healthiest sperm survive it…
How Testosterone Impacts Fertility
Healthy testosterone levels are absolutely vital for male fertility, as it acts as the primary fuel source for sperm production. Without the necessary ‘fuel’ provided by enough testosterone, this can lead to lower overall sperm counts and less healthy sperm. And with testosterone levels in males declining, we think it’s time to pay attention to male hormone health - not just for how it affects you on the outside, (think; body composition, muscle mass, etc) but for what’s happening on the inside too.
Nutrition For Male Fertility
Nutrition is central to your body’s hormone health, sperm quality and overall fertility status. But it’s not just about what you eat - it’s about what you absorb. A healthy gut is key to absorbing the nutrients you consume, so check out Josh’s guide to supporting your gut health, so you can get as much goodness from these foods as possible:
Top 10 Nutrients For Male Fertility
Zinc: Regulates and maintains healthy testosterone levels in men, and supports sperm development by protecting sperm from oxidative damage and stabilising their structure so they can swim more effectively. IBD, Celiac disease and low stomach acid (whether through natural causes or through taking PPIs) can all interfere with the body’s ability to absorb zinc.
Best Sources: Celtic Oysters, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, pumpkin seeds.
Vitamin B12: Improves sperm count, enhances sperm swimming speed, and protects sperm DNA from damage. Research shows it can also increase nitric oxide to improve circulation.
Best Sources: Beef Liver, Celtic Oysters, Optimised Male, grass-fed beef, sardines
Vitamin B6: Helps regulate testosterone production and lowers levels of homocysteine that can harm sperm health.
Best sources: Beef liver, tuna, pistachios. Grass-fed collagen is also rich in glycine, which is effective for lowering homocysteine.
Folate: Supports DNA synthesis, cell division, and protects sperm from oxidative damage.
Best sources: Beef Liver, salmon, turkey, chicken
Vitamin C: Acts as a powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress, protects sperm DNA from damage, and improves sperm count, movement, and shape.
Best sources: Blackberries, kiwi, citrus fruits, broccoli
Vitamin E: Shields sperm cell membranes from harmful oxidative stress by acting as an antioxidant, improves sperm’s swimming ability and pairs with zinc and selenium to optimise reproductive health.
Best sources: Sunflower seeds, almonds, egg yolks
Vitamin A: The foundational ‘master switch’ for sperm production, making it absolutely essential for male fertility. Without it, the biological pathway that transforms simple germ cells into mature, swimming sperm breaks down entirely.
Best Sources: Beef Liver, Optimised Male, egg yolks, grass-fed butter
CoQ10: Improves sperm motility, concentration, and overall quality by boosting cellular energy and reducing oxidative stress.
Best sources: Beef Organs (especially heart), chicken liver, sardines, mackerel
L-Carnitine: Fuels sperm mitochondria, which significantly improves sperm energy and motility. Also acts as an antioxidant that protects sperm cells from oxidative stress and DNA damage.
Best Sources: Grass-fed beef, pork, grass-fed dairy
Selenium: A vital building block for selenoproteins, which form the structural backbone of the sperm tail to ensure healthy motility and shape.
Best sources: Brazil nuts, tuna, sardines Beef Liver
Lifestyle Practices For Male Fertility
Most mainstream advice will tell you to ‘eat a balanced diet’ and exercise regularly to support your hormone health and fertility. We’ve dialed things in a little more. Here are the top 5 lifestyle practices we put into place:
No smoking and little to no alcohol: Smoking can lower sperm count, motility and alter its shape, and can increase sperm DNA damage. Heavy or frequent drinking can reduce testosterone and impact sperm quality.
Avoid plastic: Plastics may hurt male fertility in two ways: chemicals like phthalates and BPA can disrupt hormones and lower sperm quality, while tiny microplastic particles found in reproductive tissue are linked to lower sperm counts and more DNA damage. Cutting back on heated plastics, PVC, and scented products is a simple precaution. If you need any more convincing, watch The Plastic Detox on Netflix…
Eating organic: Pesticides can act as endocrine disruptors by interfering with testosterone production and altering signaling pathways in the testes. Higher exposure levels consistently correlate in studies with lower sperm concentration, poor motility, and abnormal shape. If a 100% organic diet isn’t possible, check the dirty dozen list and buy those from organic sources, or simply choose the top 10 foods you eat the most and buy them organic.
Keeping cool: We love a sauna, but if you know you have issues with fertility, keeping things cool is definitetly worth a go. Frequent overheating of male genitals (from hot tubs, saunas, tight clothing, or keeping a laptop on your lap) can all reduce sperm quality.
Reducing EMF exposure: Avoid keeping your phone in your pocket, as prolonged exposure to EMFs and radiation from phones could damage sperm quality, create DNA fragmentation and influence its motility. Research also shows that using your phone frequently (more than 20 times per day) is linked to male fertility issues. Our advice? Avoid mindlessly scrolling, keep it away from your body when you can, and use airplane mode if you have to keep your phone in your pocket.
Male fertility checklist
How many of these can you check off to support your hormone health and fertility?
Nutrient-dense diet including the foods from our nutrient guide above ✔️
No smoking ✔️
Limit alcohol ✔️
Avoid plastics ✔️
Organic food where possible ✔️
Avoid overheating ✔️
Wear loose clothing and natural fabrics ✔️
Reduce EMF exposure ✔️
Semen analysis: These simple tests can analyse the quantity and quality of sperm. Most labs will look for at least 15 million sperm per milliliter, at least 39 million sperm in the entire sample, at least 40% of total sperm moving, and at least 4% of the sperm with normal physical shapes. ✔️
Get your bloods done: Test, don’t guess! Labs will usually look for typical ranges like: testosterone (300 – 1,000 ng/dL), FSH (1.5 – 12.4 mIU/mL), LH (1.8 – 8.6 IU/L), prolactin (2 – 18 ng/mL), oestrodial (27 – 165 pmol/L) and TSH (0.4 – 4.5 mIU/L). ✔️
Our top supplements to support male hormone health and fertility:
Whilst taking exogenous testosterone via steroids can negatively impact fertility, Optimised Male provides the body with the nutrients to make its own testosterone. Made from 50% Beef Testicle and 50% Beef Liver, it’s a completely natural food-based way to support male wellbeing, and we hear from men all the time about how it’s made a huge difference for them.
“A changed man. I've been taking Optimised Male for 9 months now and I feel fantastic. Recovery is back on point, energy through the roof, sex drive is high and my blood work shows some incredible results.” - Joe G.
“I have a big thank you to the APE team for this product. Over the past couple of years my wife and I have unfortunately suffered several miscarriages. So I started using this product 6 weeks or so before we started trying again. I can happily say she is now 20 weeks pregnant.
Full disclosure - she was on a prescription as well, but even if it was placebo having an effect, it still means the world to me.” - Rob
The planet’s richest natural source of zinc in its easiest-to-absorb form. Oysters have long been known as a traditional fertility food, and now the science backs it up.
“Excellent product, can feel the difference since I started taking them.” - Mark H.
“I highly recommend. Still in my first month but improvements already stirring!” - Dennis G.