You’d think that with millions of babies being born each day, the average sperm is a pretty healthy swimmer. Not so. Many men have problems with their sperm. Here are a few things you can do to boost

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the health of yours.

• Give up dope, stupid: Long-term use of marijuana in men results in a low sperm count and dodgy sperm. The same applies to cocaine and ecstasy;
• Steroids: It’s ironic that so many huge, ripped and bodybuilders are infertile;
• Ease off the sauce. Chronic boozing damages the intricate plumbing of the male reproductive system, reducing your ability to produce normally formed sperm;
• Ease up on intense exercise. Men who exercise vigorously may reduce their sperm count due to the heat that builds up around the testicles. By all means work out, but avoid tight underwear. Avoid hot tubs, hot baths, saunas, or hot work environments;
• Hit a high C. Low vitamin C levels may cause sperm to clump together, rendering more than 15 percent of all men infertile;
• Scrutinise your antibiotics. Some groups of antibiotics affect sperm quality temporarily by decreasing count and motility. Ask your doctor;
• Steer clear of environmental hazards. These include pesticides, insecticides, organic solvents, lead, ionizing radiation, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals;
• Check your nutrition. If you're malnourished or not eating enough fresh and wholesome foods, your sperm count could suffer;
• Abstain, but not too long. Brief periods of sexual restraint (three to six days) appears to increase the volume and potency of semen. Prolonged abstinence will result in a higher volume of older sperm, which have decreased motility;
• Smoking: it significantly decreases sperm count and the liveliness of sperm cells;
• Use of other “recreational” drugs, such as cocaine, ecstacy and LSD;

Sperm develop over three months, so the mature sperm you're carrying around now will be affecte by the way you lived three months ago. If you plan to have a child, stop smoking, drinking and using recreational drugs, and wait three months before trying to make a baby.
 

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