Guest post by team Bird&Be
While many fertility journeys involve a team effort (think: donors, surrogates, birth parents, doctors, and others), it always starts with the egg and sperm. That means that both sides of the equation need to get involved when preparing for pregnancy. Too often, sperm health gets overlooked, but there are many nutrients and antioxidants that can make a positive impact.
Sperm are the smallest cells in the human body. And though it’s sometimes mistakenly referred to as “sperm,” semen is the fluid that contains these sperm cells along with other plasma liquid. The plasma carries the sperm along its journey to meet the egg and provides the necessary nutrition. It also supports sperm motility and fertilization.
Sperm health is often measured in four categories: concentration (number of sperm), motility (forward movement), morphology (shape), and DNA fragmentation (damage to the DNA). Male factor infertility, which contributes to 50% of infertility cases, usually involves one or more of these factors, and scientists believe that oxidative stress is responsible for a lot of this damage.
Oxidative Stress and Male Fertility
A quick throwback to biology class: Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body. We’re exposed to free radicals when our bodies convert food to energy as well as through the sun’s reaction to the skin. We also breathe them in through the air and ingest them from certain foods. Free radicals have an uneven number of electrons, which easily cause chemical reactions with other molecules in your body. This is called oxidative stress, and this contributes to cellular aging. Bummer alert: Our ability to combat oxidative stress decreases as we age. Thankfully, there are antioxidants, which help neutralize free radicals and stop that reaction before molecules are damaged. Your body’s cells produce some antioxidants naturally, and you can get more from food and supplements.
While we know that male factor infertility can be caused by too much oxidative stress and the DNA damage it causes, the good news is that sperm regenerates every two to three months, so changes to diet, lifestyle, and supplement routine can make a big impact fairly quickly.
The Building Blocks of Sperm
There are widely recognized vitamins and micronutrients known to aid sperm health – vitamins A, C, E, Selenium, and Zinc. These are considered the building blocks of sperm, these base nutrients have been shown to improve sperm motility and morphology.
Often not included in multivitamins for men—or even in male fertility supplements—are the critical antioxidants that are scientifically proven to improve sperm parameters. CoQ10 is well known in the fertility world for its ability to increase sperm motility and concentration, but there are other antioxidants that work in combination to improve sperm health and increase the chances of pregnancy. Check out the chart below to understand the antioxidants that Bird&Be has packed into The Power Prenatal for sperm.
| Antioxidant | Role | Affect on sperm parameters |
| L-Carnitine | Free-radical scavenger | ✅ Increased sperm motility ✅ Increased sperm concentration |
| CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) | Free-radical scavenger Fuel that recharges cell batteries | ✅ Increased sperm motility ✅ Increased sperm concentration |
| NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) | Cell detoxifier | ✅ Increased sperm motility ✅ Increased sperm concentration ✅ Decreased DNA fragmentation ✅ Increased semen volume |
| L-Arginine | Amino acid with antioxidant propertiesBlood flow and muscle support | ✅ Increased sperm motility ✅ Increased sperm concentration ✅ Improved sperm morphology ✅ Improved erectile function |
| Vitamin E | Breaker of chain (reactions). Free-radical scavenger | ✅ Increased sperm motility ✅ Decreased DNA fragmentation |
While some causes of male factor infertility are less in our control (genetics, physical blockages, viruses, and STDs), there are other factors that can be optimized to support healthy sperm. Eat a colorful diet rich in whole foods, while limiting processed foods, alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis. Get your sweat on regularly, supplement with high-quality vitamins loaded with key antioxidants, and remember to keep the time spent cycling and in hot tubs/baths on the shorter side. All of these easy lifestyle habits can help to support male fertility at home.
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