male fertility

Male Fertility Foods To Avoid & What Foods to Eat Instead

July 7, 2025 by Olha Hutsman 3 Comments

Approximately ⅓ of all infertility cases are due to male-factor concerns.

So clearly, the man in your life should be paying close attention to how certain foods can support or hinder fertility just as much as you are.

And although there are numerous “fertility-boosting” foods that men should be consuming (e.g., folate-filled leafy greens, lycopene-rich tomatoes, and selenium-packed Brazil nuts), there are also several items that they should cut out to help both of you in the baby-making department.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

Why Should Men Care About Their Diet?
How Does Diet Affect Male Fertility?
Which Foods Should Men Avoid To Support Their Fertility?
Food Men Should Eat To Promote Sperm Count & Health

Why Should Men Care About Their Diet?

When it comes to men’s health issues, infertility is typically not top of mind.

In fact, very few people know that the average man’s sperm count has dropped steadily over the past 40 years. No big deal though… healthy men have lots of sperm, right?

Well, a closer look at the data reveals that male sperm count has declined by more than 50% between 1973 and 2011. Clearly, times are changing.

Unfortunately, no one knows for certain why sperm counts are falling so quickly. Some of the suspected causes included stress, obesity, pesticides, and other environmental toxins. Medically reviewed studies also suggest that dietary patterns likely play a big role too.

How Does Diet Affect Male Fertility?

There’s a lot of information out there about how supplements can help fight infertility. And while there may be some evidence to support things like coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin D, our actual diets may be one of the most important lifestyle factors to consider.

Following a pro-fertility diet, one filled with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients can reduce the damage that free radicals and low-grade inflammation can have on our bodies. Moreover, eating a healthy diet can also support hormonal health and combat erectile dysfunction.

It’s important to remember that improving fertility may involve making several lifestyle changes over time, but one of the best places to start is in the kitchen!

Which Foods Should Men Avoid To Support Their Fertility?

Sperm holding foods to eat for male fertility

At OvulifeMD, we believe one of the quickest ways to enhance your efforts to conceive is by removing fertility-threatening foods. It might also be the easiest way to convince your counterpart to make some important dietary changes!

Here’s our shortlist of the foods men should minizine (and in some cases eliminate) in order to increase their fertility:

Processed Meats

Processed meats include meat that has been modified from its original form — think bacon, sausage, ham, corned beef, and beef jerky. And although these foods can be quite delish, they are not the best choice when it comes to male fertility.

In a clinical study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that processed meat intake was inversely related to sperm morphology. In fact, compared with those in the lowest quartile of processed red meat intake, men in the highest quartile had 23.2% fewer morphologically normal sperm.

Fortunately, unprocessed red meat, as well as total meat intake, was unrelated to indicators of semen quality and sperm health.

So sticking to fresh red meat options like grass-fed ground beef or a high-quality steak (with appropriate portion sizes) is a much better choice when the goal is to increase sperm quality.

Trans Fats

Trans-fatty acids, or trans-fats, are fats that are formed through an industrial process whereby hydrogen atoms are added to vegetable oil to create a semi-solid food product.

Trans fats are considered harmful to cardiovascular health, especially trans-fats that come from unnatural sources (e.g., hydrogenated oils in processed foods).

However, what’s often overlooked is the impact that trans-fats can have on testosterone levels and sperm count.

In a group of healthy young men, it was found that those who consumed the highest amounts of trans fats had 15% lower levels of testosterone than those with the lowest intake.

Additionally, when the dietary intake of trans-fat from the same group was reviewed in a different study, the highest intake was also associated with a 37% lower total sperm count, which has been attributed to reduced testicular function.

Interestingly, intake of trans fatty acids was primarily derived from eating french-fries and commercially baked items. Something to keep in mind if you ascribe to the popular infertility superstition about those McDonald’s “potatoes”.

Some easy steps to take to reduce trans fats:

English muffins instead of biscuits.
Skip the frosting on desserts like cupcakes and cookies.
Avoid popcorn unless it is clearly labeled as trans-fat-free.
Stick to baked fried fries instead of the fried variety.
Do not cook with lard – choose healthy cooking oils instead.

Foods Stored In BPA-Lined Cans

We know that neither you nor your partner is going to actually eat the can, but food cans are commonly lined with Bisphenol-A (BPA).

You’ve likely heard about this man-made phytoestrogen as it’s found in many plastics, including certain food containers. And when it comes to cans lined with BPA, this plastic often finds its way into our meals.

As we discussed in a post all about endocrine-disrupting chemicals, BPA can be particularly harmful to female fertility… and there’s concern that the same might be true for male fertility too.

However, it’s important to note that not all researchers agree on just how harmful BPA may be for things like sperm health. With that said, it’s a fairly easy thing to minimize in your foods to support sperm production and more healthy sperm in general.

So next time you shop for canned foods or items stored in plastic containers, opt for those that are stored in BPA-free containers. To play things really safe, reach for glass containers to minimize your exposure to BPA (and other plastic chemicals) altogether.

Full Fat Milk

If you can’t fathom a world where you have to forego a tall glass of milk to accompany your cookies, don’t fret. You can certainly enjoy your milk (and the occasional cookie) on your fertility journey, but with one caveat…

Men should aim for lower fat or even fat-free versions of milk and other dairy products instead of those full-fat options to prevent any negative effects on sperm health.

When looking at data from the Rochester Young Men’s Study, an analysis of sperm and diet from 189 reproductive-aged men, showed that high-fat dairy products (e.g., whole milk, cream, and cheese) were associated with decreased sperm motility and abnormal sperm shape. This was also confirmed in a more recent systematic review of several observational studies.

It’s important to note that this is actually the complete opposite of what the scientific literature suggests when it comes to female fertility. Make sure to review the facts about the best form of dairy to consume as a woman here!

And if your man is a smoker, you may want to cut out his cheese intake while trying to get pregnant. Admittedly it’s somewhat random, but in one study, cheese intake was linked to low sperm concentration and motility among male smokers.

Excessive Alcohol

Many experts advise that women should completely abstain from alcohol when trying to conceive… But what about the male-factor?

Well, the evidence seems to suggest that having the occasional alcoholic drink is unlikely to affect male fertility. Of course, the keyword here is occasional.

In a study published in Fertility and Sterility, excessive alcohol intake was linked to negative changes in testosterone and estrogen as well as reduced semen volume, lower sperm counts, motility, and the number of morphologically normal sperm.

And in case you’re wondering if these were just an isolated set of findings, they have been replicated in other quality studies too.

Beyond the issue of reproductive health, it’s important to point out that regular alcohol consumption is directly associated with an increased risk for liver damage – something that can negatively affect your man’s overall health and wellness.

Ultimately, the once-in-a-while beer when watching the game or the special occasion whiskey does not appear to create any major fertility challenges for men. However, we generally recommend that men cut out (or at least minimize) alcohol 2-3 months before trying for a baby.

Caffeine

Certain coffees, teas, sodas, and energy drinks can contain a ton of caffeine, depending on the variety. And while many people love their morning cup-of-joe, unfortunately, excessive caffeine intake may work against male reproductive goals.

Based on results from a recent systematic review article, here are some findings to consider:

Caffeine-containing soft drinks were associated with a decrease in semen volume, semen concentration, and total sperm count.
Caffeine intake was associated with breaks in sperm DNA.
Coffee consumption was associated with a prolonged time to pregnancy.

Ultimately, the occasional caffeinated beverage is unlikely to negatively affect fertility among men, However, downing multiple cups of coffee a day along with caffeinated soda should be avoided when trying to conceive.

Illustration of the top foods to avoid for sperm health and male fertility

Food Men Should Eat To Promote Sperm Count & Health

Sperm holding foods to avoid for male fertility

After taking care to reduce fertility-threatening foods, it’s important for men to consume items that can boost their fertility and sperm quality too.

There are many great fertility-boosting foods men can choose from, but one of the best changes to make is to increase his intake of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

If we circle back to the study on meat in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that men with the highest intake of fish produced 60 million more sperm than those with the lowest intake. These findings held true even after adjusting for other fertility-boosting nutrients like iron and vitamin B12.

And in case your man is thinking that he can just take some fish supplements instead, researchers did not find a difference in total sperm count or sperm morphology among those who consumed an omega 3 supplement and those who did not.

Curious about what other foods we recommend to increase sperm count? Check out our post on the top 5 foods for male fertility.

Final Thoughts

Dietary choices can play a pivotal role in male infertility, and thus your overall success towards a healthy pregnancy.

And while certain foods may boost your man’s sperm count, balancing out his diet by limiting potentially detrimental foods can help bring him one step closer to fatherhood.

So as far as fecundability is concerned, a high intake of full-fat dairy, alcohol, caffeine, trans-fat, and processed meat can negatively influence the chance of pregnancy.

Just remember, every little change makes a difference!

Are Antioxidants Important For Male Fertility?

June 30, 2025 by William Haas Leave a Comment

We know it goes without saying that it takes two to make a baby.

And when it comes to the man’s role in the process there are so many things that go overlooked.

One topic that does seem to get a fair amount of attention (and is somewhat debated) is the question of whether or not antioxidants improve male fertility.

It would be great if you could tell the man (or sperm donor) in your life to take a few extra antioxidants and call it a day.

But is it really that simple?

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

Male fertility and sperm health
How oxidative stress effects sperm
Addressing the factors causing oxidative stress
Which antioxidants to take for sperm health

Male fertility and sperm health

When it comes to fertility issues among men, defective sperm function has been identified as one of the most common causes.

In fact, ‘male factor’ is generally seen as an alteration in sperm concentration, sperm motility, and/or sperm morphology (i.e., shape). And technically, abnormalities must be noted in at least one of two sperm analyses, typically collected 4 weeks apart.

Quick fact… oligozoospermia – a medical condition characterized by low sperm count and quality – is responsible for 90% of male-factor infertility. Obviously, this topic is obviously a big deal!

How oxidative stress effects sperm

Issues identified in sperm dysfunction and male factor infertility are primarily environmental, physiologic, and genetic factors. Both environmental and physiologic factors are big contributors to oxidative stress and damage to sperm health.

But what exactly is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress is the effect on the body resulting from oxygen species that break down and become reactive, aptly known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). The accumulation of ROS can occur when our bodies are depleted of antioxidants (more on that in a moment…)

It’s important to note that sperm cells do require some degrees of oxidative stress to achieve optimal fertilizing capacity, especially for the process referred to as hyperactivation.

However, too much oxidative stress can easily become a problem for sperm due to the chemical makeup of its structure.

Sperm contains a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids which make them prone to oxidation. If too much oxidative damage happens, then pre-programmed cell death (apoptosis) is activated which can contribute to fertility issues.

Quick fact… studies have shown that between 30-80% of men with fertility problems have elevated levels of oxidative stress.

Addressing the factors causing oxidative stress

As mentioned previously, both environmental and lifestyle factors can be big contributors to oxidative stress.

Here are some important factors that can put a strain on the body’s natural antioxidant defense system and actions the man in your life can take to lessen and prevent oxidative stress:

Sources of oxidative stress affecting male fertility when considering antioxidants.

Alcohol and tobacco use:

Alcohol and cigarette smoke can cause oxidative stress directly by generating large amounts of free radicals and indirectly by reducing circulating antioxidant levels in the body.

Recommended action: We won’t get on a soap-box here… just don’t let these two factors go unaddressed! No amount of exercise, sleep, and healthy food will undo the damage done from these toxins. We recommend quitting smoking everything completely (marijuana, cigarettes, cigars, vaping, etc.) and limiting alcohol intake to no more than 6 servings per week.

Circadian rhythm dysregulation:

Sleep is a commonly overlooked cause of oxidative stress. In fact, many of our antioxidant enzymes follow a tightly timed rhythm within our bodies. When our natural circadian rhythm is disrupted by sleep deprivation, levels of oxidative stress have been shown to increase.

Recently, blue-light exposure has gotten a lot of attention for disrupting circadian rhythms, but extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) from electronics (e.g., cell phones) have also shown to have the same effect along with a direct link to oxidative stress.

Recommended action: Aim for a regular sleep schedule, avoid blue light at night, remove electronics from your nightstand, and get plenty of sunlight during the day.

Environmental toxins:

We’ve covered the topic of environmental toxins in-depth in a prior mini-series, but it’s important to remember that exposure to chemicals and pollutants can be a major contributor to oxidative stress.

Things like pesticides and heavy metals are some of the biggest culprits, but increasing evidence suggests that plastics can have an impact too (that’s another strike against BPA).

Recommended action: Swap out plastic for glass containers whenever possible, shop for groceries according to the Dirty-Dozen, wash your produce thoroughly, and filter your drinking water.

Psychological stress:

Recurrent or ongoing psychological stress doesn’t just impact our quality of life, it also promotes oxidative damage through sustained activation of our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Recommended action: Meditation and yoga often come to mind but don’t feel like you need to sit around in uncomfortable positions while forcing positive thoughts into your subconscious.

Stress reduction can take many forms (e.g., breathing, walks in nature, journaling). What matters most is not the form, but carving out regular time to recenter yourself.

Pro-inflammatory diet:

Consumption of processed foods, especially those made with industrial vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids, introduce free radicals into our bodies.

Once consumed, these oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids can trigger an inflammatory reaction that impairs the very cells meant to protect us from oxidative damage in the first place. They can also oxidize vitamins (A, C, and E) that serve as natural antioxidants.

Recommended action: Steer clear of processed and pre-packed foods, especially those containing canola, soybean, sunflower, peanut, or grapeseed oils – these are pro-inflammatory fats. Of course, this same advice is true for any food that is heavily fried in oil or fat for
that matter 🙁

Loading up on fruits and vegetables rich in different colors is the absolute best way to supply your body with the natural antioxidants it needs to combat oxidative stress. Adding anti-inflammatory fats from wild-caught seafood and nuts is also a great choice.

Physical inactivity:

Skipping out on regular physical activity can increase levels of oxidative stress. There are so many reasons to get those 10,000 steps in a day… reducing oxidative stress is one more!

Recommended action: Aim for 30 or more minutes of exercise four to five days a week. And don’t forget the power of intermittent physical activity throughout the workday including midday walks and standing up for 10 minutes every hour.

When to consider antioxidants for male fertility

Several studies have evaluated the ability of antioxidants to improve semen parameters and fertility outcomes. However, it’s somewhat challenging to make definitive recommendations on who is most likely to benefit given the wide range of treatment regimens as well as the inherent differences among the men in all of the studies performed thus far.

As a result, clinicians typically fall into one of four camps when deciding whether or not to recommend antioxidant supplements:

So where does that leave you and your male counterpart?

As mentioned, there is no clear-cut, single best strategy based on current evidence when it comes to choosing when to ‘prescribe’ antioxidants. Specialized testing of sperm for oxidative stress is not routinely performed and there are some concerns that taking too many antioxidants can potentially lead to decreased fertility and other potential health issues.

So from a practical standpoint, many integrative medicine specialists consider recommending antioxidants for men who have certain risk factors for increased risk of oxidative stress such as those discussed earlier in this post.

Choosing the right antioxidants for sperm health

If you’ve spent any amount of time searching the internet, you probably already know that there are a wide variety of antioxidant supplements available with many sensational claims about “boosting male fertility today.”

Unfortunately, according to a study published in Urology, only 22% of the ingredients commonly included in male fertility supplements have published data relating to semen parameters and pregnancy outcomes.

Furthermore, amongst the numerous studies evaluating supplements for male fertility, there’s a wide range of the type of antioxidant supplement being given along with wide variability in outcome measures. And it’s important to note that changes in sperm parameters don’t always result in changes in pregnancy rates.

With that said, the authors of that same study published in Urology highlighted the ingredients with the most evidence, three of which are known to be potent antioxidants:

And in case you’re curious, zinc and L-carnitine made the list, but they are not traditionally classified as antioxidants.

Of course, you should know that not all studies have found antioxidants to be beneficial, including the Males, Antioxidants, and Infertility (MOXI) trial, which found that antioxidants do not improve semen parameters or DNA integrity among men with male factor infertility.

On the other hand, the most recent Cochrane review does indicate that there may be some evidence to suggest antioxidant usage among men can improve both pregnancy rates and live birth rates, albeit the level of evidence was classified as low (due to small sample size and variability amongst the intervention and outcomes being compared) and the specific antioxidant(s) of potential impact is not clear.

But then again, perhaps researchers simply haven’t found the right dose or combination of treatment yet.

Final Thoughts

After reviewing this topic, the important thing to focus on seems to be less about whether antioxidants are important for male fertility, but how one goes about reducing oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is a clear factor contributing to male infertility and poor sperm health.

Luckily, there are a number of lifestyle changes men can make to reduce oxidative stress without having to spend money on antioxidant supplements.

However, if life circumstances or other health conditions create an internal environment that leads to high levels of oxidative stress, then it may be appropriate to discuss taking an antioxidant supplement with your healthcare provider.

Diving into antioxidant supplements for male fertility is definitely an important and loaded topic- so stay tuned for part 2 of this post.

Choosing the Best Antioxidant Supplements for Male Fertility

June 30, 2025 by Olha Hutsman Leave a Comment

Do “fertility boosting” supplements for men actually work?

It’s a great question!

Logically, the use of antioxidant supplements for male fertility makes a lot of sense, especially given the numerous factors that can cause oxidative damage to sperm.

In case you missed our prior post, oxidative damage occurs when reactive oxygen species (highly reactive chemical by-products) break down the cells in our body. In excess they can even result in complete cell death – so it’s important to keep them in check!

In terms of their impact on fertility, an increased number of reactive oxygen species can lead to the disruption of normal events required when the egg and sperm meet. Not to mention their negative impact on sperm motility resulting in decreased fertilization and pregnancy rates.

Enter antioxidants…

Antioxidants have the exact opposite effect. They act as free radical scavengers and decrease the number of reactive oxygen species and associated cellular damage. Therefore, it makes sense that antioxidant supplements are promoted as improving sperm health.

But the question remains whether or not antioxidant supplements are really beneficial for male fertility. There are arguments both FOR and AGAINST them…

So today we want to present you with both sides of the story along with our take on the matter.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll discover:

What are antioxidant supplements
The argument against antioxidant supplements
The argument for antioxidant supplements
How to make sense of conflicting information

What are antioxidant supplements?

Some of you might be thinking, “What’s the harm in taking antioxidant supplements… Aren’t they just vitamins anyway?”

There are hundreds of different substances that can act as antioxidants. The most familiar ones being vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

However, there are many other minerals, amino acids, and enzymes that act as antioxidants too. The list of antioxidants is long and includes things like:

Arginine
Selenium
Glutathione
Coenzyme Q10
N-acetylcysteine
Folate
Magnesium

So with this many options, how can we tell which ones actually make a difference?

This can be quite challenging, especially since the Food and Drug Administration does not tightly regulate the supplement industry. Not to mention each male fertility supplement often has many different combinations of antioxidants at different doses.

Let’s take a deep dive into the existing evidence to see what matters most!

The argument against the use of antioxidants for male fertility

Rather recently, several studies have been conducted suggesting that male antioxidant supplements might not be everything they’ve been promised.

A Cochrane review (well-respected analysis of several studies) published in 2019 sought to examine if antioxidants had a positive effect on male fertility…

They looked at 18 different antioxidants across 44 studies. And before we reveal their findings, it’s important to note that only 12 of the studies reported on pregnancy or live birth. Obviously, it’s hard to make strong endorsements when the majority of studies didn’t evaluate the ultimate desired outcome – live birth.

Additional limitations that should be considered include the fact that many of the studies included in the Cochrane review had small sample sizes, which limits a study’s power to detect differences in clinical endpoints.

Furthermore, the majority of studies included were considered to be of “low quality” and had different supplements at different doses, making it difficult to compare one study to another.

This review also included any type, dose, or combination of oral antioxidant supplements that could be obtained without prescription against placebo, no treatment, or other antioxidant supplements among men with male-factor or unexplained infertility… Meaning there were no consistent comparisons.

Ultimately they concluded that:

“There is low-quality evidence from seven small randomized controlled trials suggesting that antioxidant supplementation in subfertile males may improve live birth rates for couples attending fertility clinics…

Subfertile couples should be advised that overall, the current evidence is inconclusive based on serious risk of bias due to poor reporting of methods of randomization, failure to report on the clinical outcomes live birth rate and clinical pregnancy, often unclear or even high attrition, and also imprecision due to often low event rates and small overall sample sizes.”

Translated in one sentence… more studies are needed to support the use of antioxidants supplements for enhancing male fertility.

Ultimately, this Cochrane review then led to a randomized, double-blind, multicenter placebo-controlled trial called Males, Antioxidants, and Infertility (MOXI) Trial. This study included 174 couples with male factor infertility.

The MOXI study randomized men to a combination antioxidant (Vitamin C, 500 mg; Vitamin D3, 1000 IU; Vitamin E, 400 IU; Folic Acid 1000 mcg; Zinc, 20 mg; Selenium 200 mcg; Lycopene, 10 mg; Capsule: Vitamin D3, 1000 IU, L-Carnitine, 1000 mg) or placebo for 3-6 months.

That’s quite the antioxidant cocktail!

In terms of clinical outcomes, interestingly sperm concentration actually decreased in the antioxidant group. Among men with decreased sperm parameters at baseline, there were no significant changes in sperm parameters at 3 months of treatment.

Additionally, cumulative live birth rates between the antioxidant versus placebo group were 15% vs 24% respectively (which wasn’t a statistically significant difference), but was 9% lower in the antioxidant group.

Again, with this type of cocktail, it is hard to determine which of these individual supplements if any had an impact.

More recently an even larger trial has been published – Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation (FAZST) Trial. This trial included 2370 couples with infertility, 20% of which had a male factor diagnosis. Men were randomized to 5 mg of folic acid + 30 mg of zinc or placebo for 6 months.

Results demonstrated no difference in pregnancy, live birth rate, or difference in sperm parameters when undergoing IVF, IUI, or timed intercourse.

A criticism of this study, however, was the extremely high dose of folic acid. This is important to note given that high dose antioxidants may paradoxically increase reactive oxygen species and inflammation levels in the body.

Altogether, these studies have shown a higher risk of gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting in men taking the supplements compared to those taking placebo.

Antioxidant pills that may not support male fertility

So when looking at the argument against routine antioxidant supplementation for male fertility, trials to date are currently limited by:

Heterogeneity (differing) of intervention
Small sample sizes (lack statistical power)
Poor quality (due to the variety of supplement cocktails being studied)
Primary outcomes measured (remember changes in sperm parameters don’t necessarily equate to pregnancy or live birth)

With this said, is there evidence that supports the use of oral antioxidants for male fertility?

Possibly…

The argument for the use of antioxidants for male fertility

One could argue that the issue with the current trials is that there has been an overinterpretation of the current evidence… meaning we falsely assume that ALL antioxidants have a similar effect.

So when a study compares – Vitamin C, 500 mg + Vitamin D3, 1000 IU + Vitamin E, 400 IU + Folic Acid 1000 mcg + Zinc, 20 mg + Selenium 200 mcg + Lycopene, 10 mg + Vitamin D3, 1000 IU, + L-Carnitine, 1000 mg to Folic acid 5mg + Zinc 30 mg – it’s difficult to determine which antioxidant actually had an effect or if one cancelled out the effects of another.

It’s also important to point out that these doses are up to 2 – 30x higher than what you typically get in a daily multivitamin, which as we noted above, might actually increase reactive oxygen species – yikes!

So what evidence can we find in support of using antioxidant supplements?

When looking at the Cochrane review again, the strongest evidence showing a potentially positive impact on live birth occurred when narrowing the focus down to Vitamin E alone(2 trials), Zinc alone (1 trial), or combined antioxidant (1 trial).

When looking at improvement in sperm parameters, 1 trial for vitamin E alone, 1 trial for vitamin E + zinc, 1 for vitamin E + vitamin C + zinc, and 5 trials for combined antioxidants found favorable results.

But again if that doesn’t translate to improved live birth… the question arises does it even really matter?

One way to interpret this data is that perhaps there’s something there with vitamin E or zinc, but we just don’t know exactly what or at what dose. The reality is that due to the super high dosing as well as the diversity of interventions it’s hard to make any sweeping conclusions.

Antioxidant pills supporting male fertility

A review published in Urology in 2020 sought to make sense of this mixed message and conflicting evidence…

Researchers analyzed data for the top 17 male fertility supplements sold from the most popular online retailers. Interestingly, only 22% of the 90 ingredients actually had published evidence for impact on sperm parameters.

They noted potential positive effects with:

L-carnitine
Vitamin E
Vitamin C
CoQ10
Zinc

Whereas they found minimal evidence for popular supplements including:

Maca
Selenium
B12

Ultimately they concluded that few male fertility supplements are actually backed by evidence and their efficacy largely remains unknown and therefore should be used cautiously.

How to make sense of the conflicting evidence

Perhaps we haven’t found the right group of men that might benefit?

Or the right dose?

Or the right combination of antioxidants?

It’s truly hard to say at this point.

But the assumption that if some antioxidants are good, more must be better simply isn’t true and may in fact be harmful. The concept of the “antioxidant paradox” is something we’ve mentioned a few times (so it’s kinda important!).

If you look at the dosing of antioxidants in MOXI and FASZT Trial, the doses are MUCH higher than what is typically included in a store-bought multivitamin.

Ultimately, regardless of the dose or the particular antioxidant, there’s insufficient evidence to confidently make routine recommendations for a male antioxidant supplement.

We know… It’s a bummer.

We have to say, your first priority (before searching for the right supplement) is to make sure you are eating a balanced diet filled with natural antioxidants (food is an AMAZING source of these!). And it’s important to note that no supplement can replace a healthy diet.

But still, the question remains if you HAD to choose something, what might help?

Obviously, we don’t recommend purchasing high dose antioxidant supplements specifically marketed for male fertility.

But when looking for a supplement or daily multivitamin, consider one that includes the standard daily dose of vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and folic acid (again, not at the super-high doses as noted in some of these studies).

As always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplements to discuss your personal needs… and be sure to always tell them ALL the supplements you are taking as well – these definitely count as “medicine” even if you can buy them over the counter.

Final Thoughts

One problem with modern medicine is the tendency to try and improve health using pills. And even though many conventional medical doctors don’t reach for supplements, they should be evaluated just as critically as prescription medications.

Sometimes supplements are highly effective… Other times they are a waste of money and potentially harmful. Without a careful review of the evidence, you’ll never know.

In the case of antioxidant supplements for male fertility, the evidence is inconclusive at the present moment… And the most important thing a man TTC can do is make key lifestyle changes that far exceed the benefit of a few supplements.

Yup, that means increasing the intake of naturally occurring antioxidants in food is a great way to support his fertility. And if you’re looking for other actions to reduce oxidative stress, we got you covered in a prior post.

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