How to Increase Fertility in Men

Over six million people in the United States have impaired fertility. This is 1 in 6 couples. Over 10 million couples have sought infertility services and over two million married couples are infertile. Fertility is impacted by male factors (35-40%), female factors (35-40%), and a combination of male and female factors (20-30%). There are many variables that contribute to healthy fertility and pregnancy. You can improve your fertility and overall health with integrative treatments for fertility.

Infertility is defined as a failure by a couple to conceive after 1 year of unprotected intercourse. There are male factors and female factors to consider. In this section, we will focus on fertility in men. Fertility can be broken down into two main categories: Physical fertility and emotional fertility.

40-90% of male infertility cases are due to deficient sperm production. Sperm production may be impacted by childhood mumps, testicular injury, sexually transmitted diseases, varicocele, sexual dysfunction, toxin exposure, and endocrine imbalances (hormone imbalances including sex hormones, thyroid, pituitary, etc).

Problems with sperm:

• Impaired shape and movement
• Absent production in testes/ low sperm count
• Blocked sperm exit (varicocele)
• Undescended testes
• Inadequate production of testosterone and other sex hormones (consider thyroid disease, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, liver and kidney disease, anemia, drug abuse)
• Retrograde ejaculation
• Anti-sperm antibodies (autoimmunity)
• Lifestyle: Overweight, cigarette smoking, drug use, high alcohol consumption
• Genetic causes: Klinefelter’s Syndrome
• Advanced age

Ask your doctor to run these tests to evaluate for the cause of infertility in men:

• Sexually transmitted disease screening: Chlamydia, Syphilis, Rubella, and HIV
• Ultrasound: Do an antral follicle count and look for structural abnormalities
• Blood work: Thyroid hormone, blood sugar, male sex hormones, cortisol, cholesterol
• Semen analysis
• Antispermatozoal Antibody
• Hysterosalpingogram
• Laparoscopy if necessary

Emotional Fertility

The next main category of fertility is emotional fertility. Our emotional fertility impacts our fertility, and our fertility impacts our emotional fertility. This is a deep and vast topic and we will not be able to give it all of the attention it deserves. This is why it is so important to have a trusted helper to work through the multidimensional components of fertility. While we do not completely understand all of the variables of fertility, the scientific community has demonstrated that there is a strong biopsychosocial link in the human body. The way we think and feel directly impacts hormone production, metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and even health metrics like heart rate variability, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygenation.

To explore your relationship with fertility, take the self-survey below.

Fertility Interview Survey
Completing this survey can provide data in regards to your experience around becoming a parent.

1. The motivation for having a baby
   1. Content with self has much to share with a baby
   2. Hopeful, somewhat discontented, wants/needs baby to add to her life,
   3. Conditional motivations, ‘hooks’ (ie., wants boy; to secure relationship, etc)
   4. Conflicted reasons; struggling; unstable
   5. Obsessed; clingy/attached; morbid dwelling; desperate
2. Partner interest in having a baby
   1. Highly interested, encouraging, OK either way
   2. Somewhat encouraging, concerned about his own needs
   3. Neutral, willing to accept, withholds some
   4. Worried, cautious, withholds support, unstable support
   5. Not interested, antagonistic; or, attached, demanding
3. Self-esteem as a mother, woman, and/or wife
   1. High self-esteem, confidence,
   2. Mostly good self-esteem
   3. Neutral self-esteem sees self as basically adequate,
   4. Somewhat low self-esteem
   5. Highly inadequate self-image
4. Relationship with a mate: Support during times of stress
   1. Feels he is there for her, highly supportive
   2. Mostly supportive
   3. Sometimes supportive, sometimes not
   4. Frequently undermining, unhelpful
   5. Mostly undermining, rug-pulling
5. Relationship with a mate: Communication
   1. Satisfying, feels understood by him
   2. Mostly good
   3. Neutral, adequate
   4. Mostly poor, often unsatisfying
   5. Poor, mostly feels misunderstood

Integrative Methods for Fertility in Men: Dr. Cain’s Top Solutions

• Get to the root cause and treat: This requires diagnostic workup
  • Get the testing done described at the beginning of this article
• Increase fertility awareness: Intercourse during most fertile times of the cycle
• Reduce stress around intercourse (counseling individual and couple, sex therapy, use stress-reduction techniques)
• Give your body the nutrients it needs for optimal fertility
• Detoxification: Based on the results of your metal and nonmetal toxicology screening, talk with your doctor about a detox program that is right for you.
  • Here is a 14-day Detox program that I like!
• Detox Nutrients:
  • Liver support
  • Metabolic Detox Powder
• Exercise: 3 days per week, 30 min cardiovascular, 30 minutes weight training
• Diet: Follow the guidelines of the Gut Psychology Diet
  • High vegetarian protein, low animal protein
  • High omega containing foods
  • Limit caffeine
  • Avoid soda pop, food dye, fast food, foods high in preservatives and additives
• Acupuncture
• Botanicals
• Sperm Count Tincture by Dr. Cain
  (Herbal proprietary blend)
  
  • Panax Ginseng (p. quinquefolius)
  • Withania somnifera
  • Tribulus terrestris
  • Aletris farinose (true unicorn root)
  • Maca (lepidium meyenii)
  • Camellia sinensis
  • Sig: Mix 4 dropperfuls in maca tea and drink 1 cup in the morning, and repeat at lunch. This will equate to 8 dropperfuls per day