Men Are 50% Of The Fertility Equation- But Often Just Don't Realize It.

For guys, if you want to become a dad someday or are trying to become a dad, this webinar is for you (and your partner). We discussed male health, sperm testing, and what to change in a guy's lifestyle to improve their sperm health. That's where our webinar came in as a primer for any guy (and his partner) looking for more info on what men need to know for fertility. It was great to chat with molecular biologist, Dr. Kristin Brogaard, CEO and Co-Founder of PATH fertility. We were joined by men around the country who engaged in our coffee-style chat about what guys need to know. 

During the webinar, We received questions from participants on when to make changes for lifestyle, what about Low Testerone and how it impacts fertility, and how to improve testosterone. I discussed how functional medicine can improve lifestyle testosterone levels, libido, and fertility. Others asked that as a medical provider, how they talk to their male clients to normalize the conversation that fertility is a male problem too. Our webinar pretty much honed in on how men are 50% of the fertility equation and have been linked to 50% of the fertility problems, but often are overlooked, underdiagnosed, or misdiagnosed in the clinical setting. That's where new testing can be helpful, but also we discussed how Simplina includes men in our coaching program - so even if you get a test result that needs improvement, your libido is low, or you want to be in tip-top shape, or you've been struggling to conceive - there is no time like now to do targeted male fertility program with lifestyle change. 

Dr. Brogaard kicked off the discussion about what we know about male sperm and biological age. I have talked about biological age versus chronological age in my past blog - but Dr.Brogaard gave very specific science behind how we know how old you really are. As a scientist that specializes in DNA methylation, which is defined as the steady and consistent changes in the regulation of DNA as you age, she has produced a number of papers on epigenetics and lifestyle. Her research focuses on how DNA can signal biological aging and risk for disease. Dr. Brogaard discussed how her approach helps hone in on the biological age of male sperm and getting to the issue of male fertility and male health. DNA methylation adds another more advanced layer to existing ways to measure male sperm, such as DNA fragmentation along with the standard motility, morphology, and total count tests offered. I also talk about this in my blog, "what you do in your life impacts male fertility." 

During the webinar, I talked about male fertility from the vantage point of the male athlete - such as Tom Brady, Roger Federer, and how these men push the bounds of what it means to be old in sports because of their young biological age due to their lifestyle including how they eat. Most of my guy clients know that Tom Brady eats a "weird diet" and doesn't drink, eat sugar or certain random foods like tomatoes. Well, if we want to keep your sperm young, you can't eat at McDonald's. See my other guest blog post here for more info. In the webinar, I shared the data on how what you eat, supplements, types & duration of exercise, sleep, and stress can all influence fertility in both ways. I close out the topic with what not to do and what you can do to help improve your fertility. 

Key Takeaways on Male Fertility:

The problem:

• Sperm counts have declined 50% in the last 40 years.
• Men account for up to 50% of infertility diagnoses.
• Men are not tested early enough leading to critical delays in the time-sensitive process of trying to conceive.

How do guys find out more about their fertility status:

• There are new tests such as DNA methylation tests that look at male biological age. DNA methylation and (DNA fragmentation) go beyond the standard sperm count and motility that can be added benefit in those struggling with infertility and looking for more answers.
• Men's sperm age can be different from a guy's actual age - i.e. your sperm can be older or younger than you depending on how you have lived your life and other risk factors. The key thing is to find out. Test - don't guess.
• There are other blood tests such as cardiovascular and blood glucose profiles that look at lifestyle factors that I use that can also be underlying conditions that contribute to impacting fertility.

What can guys do to improve their fertility:

• There are key things you can do with what you eat, supplements, exercise, sleep, stress, and what you put on your body and in your home. It all impacts your sperm. The key thing is to know what is right for your body.
• It takes 64 days to produce new sperm, and you can improve your sperm quality - with a personalized functional medicine approach - one that looks at root causes.
• Even if you're "healthy", there's still more you can do to improve your sperm.

Want to know about your real biological age and what you should do specifically for your body and health profile to improve your fertility odds? Get started with us here in our 8-session couples coaching program.