Approximately 4 out of 10 Danish men today have problems with their sperm concentration, which means that they are below the "normal" limit of 40 million sperm cells per ml. seed. If the sperm concentration falls below 15 million sperm per ml. sperm, it is said that the man has reduced sperm quality and this trend has been a significant development. A large study based on sperm samples from over 40,000 European and North American men from 1973 to 2011 shows that the number of men's sperm at ejaculation has dropped by no less than 50% in just under 40 years.

Semen quality can be boosted

Fortunately, you can do something yourself to significantly improve your sperm quality, because a man produces new sperm approximately every three months, and those sperm are influenced by the lifestyle he has led in the past 3 months. You can read more about the lifestyle changes that can strengthen fertility in the article here. During the 3 months, the man can both increase the number of sperm, while he can also work on reducing the number of DNA damage in the sperm, which also has a big impact on the chances of getting a woman pregnant. After 3 months, the sperm quality and the chances of getting a woman pregnant can be significantly improved.

If you or your partner want to test the sperm quality yourself at home, you can try our sperm quality test from the Danish SwimCount

Which nutritional supplements have an effect on male fertility?

D vitamin

Research from Rigshospitalet has shown that treatment with vitamin D has a beneficial effect on sperm production in infertile men with severe vitamin D deficiency. If the man is not deficient - or only slightly deficient - in vitamin D, supplementation of vitamin D has no effect on fertility.

In the study at Rigshospitalet with the participation of 330 infertile men with vitamin D deficiency, they received either placebo medicine or vitamin D. Here, the study showed that men with reduced sperm production who received vitamin D supplements doubled the chance of spontaneous pregnancy compared to the group of men who received placebo medication. The conclusion showed that vitamin D is important for the sperm's ability to reach and fertilize the egg in the woman.

However, the study also shows that vitamin D supplementation does not increase sperm production in infertile men with only slightly reduced levels, so vitamin D supplementation is not the solution for everyone.

Find our selection of vitamin D here

Selenium

Before a sperm can reach the woman's egg and fertilize it, the sperm must be able to move. This forward movement is called motility. Here, research has shown that a daily supplement of the trace element selenium can be of great importance for the formation of normal sperm cells, because Selenium helps to increase the motility of the sperm cells.

A low selenium content in the seminal fluid increases the risk of reduced fertility. This is because selenium-dependent enzymes protect the sperm and its tail structure, where whip movements bring the sperm forward. Selenium is also an important antioxidant that protects the sperm against oxidative damage. Studies have shown that less damage to DNA leads to higher fertility.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has assessed the documentation behind selenium and recognizes that selenium contributes to the normal formation of sperm.

Q10

A substance which apparently plays a decisive role in the functionality of sperm cells is the vitamin-related substance, coenzyme Q10.

Several studies have been published with infertile men that have shown that the Q10 treatment led to significant improvements in the number of sperm cells as well as the shape and motility of the sperm cells. The results are supported by the conclusions of other researchers, which indicate that treatment with Q10 can lead to a significant improvement in sperm quality.

Furthermore, the results also show that Q10 can play a positive role in the treatment of reduced motility, i.e. the sperm's ability to move actively and spontaneously to reach the uterus and the woman's egg.

The form of Q10 used in Pharma Nord's B-Daddy and Pharma Nord Bio-Quinone Aktivt Q10 Gold is identical to the form of Q10 that the body produces itself. It is 100% natural and has extremely good absorption, which is documented. Bio-Qinon Q10 is the official reference product for the ICQA (International Coenzyme Q10 Association) and is chosen by doctors and researchers worldwide.

Zinc

Zinc is an important substance when it comes to sperm quality. If the man has a zinc deficiency, sperm quality will be reduced, as zinc is part of the formation of the sperm cells. A low level of zinc will reduce the man's testosterone formation, so the testicles will be smaller and the sperm quality will be reduced. Men's largest "store" of zinc is in the prostate, which forms the semen. Since semen contains a lot of zinc, men with an active sex life can lose significant amounts of zinc on this account