Exercise suggested to increase sperm count

At first glance, sperm and running may not seem to go hand-in-hand, but an article by Vox.com reveals that exercise and by extension, running, can help with sperm count and male fertility. 

A 2017 analysis published in The Human Reproduction Update revealed that sperm counts in the West have declined significantly between 1973 and 2011. The geographical group studied included North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Asia and Africa and showed that the sperm count has dropped by roughly 50 per cent since 1973. 

Since that study, some have worried that sperm decline could lead to a health epidemic. Vox.com reported this week that while it’s not a bleak as some make it seem, there is a trending decline in sperm count. 

The Vox article answers several questions about sperm, and reveals ways that you can facilitate sperm production. “Being overweight or obese is associated with poorer semen quality — and we’ve seen rates of overweight and obesity soar over the past several decades. Smoking, stress, sedentary lifestyles, and alcohol and drug use are all also implicated.”

This is good news for runners as they lead decidedly active lifestyles, and many also adhere to a healthy diet. The article recommends exercise and a healthy diet saying that, “Exercise improves blood testosterone and sperm production.” 

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One of the doctors interviewed even suggests treating your body like you’re preparing for a race to improve sperm production, and no one knows how to do that better than a runner. 

A second study published by The First International Journey of Andrology examines sperm in high level ultra-endurance athletes. Ultra-endurance sport has been shown to negatively affect sperm count and quality. 

The study examined 12 elite level triathletes preparing for a national competition, and recognized that they are a very small sample of the athletic population. Authors found that, “Hormonal values and physical semen parameters were within normal ranges.” While that is positive, the study did find higher levels of DNA fragmentation in the athlete’s sperm. The study indicates that, “high loads of endurance training could potentially interfere with the athlete’s fertility potential.” The authors conclude that further studies are needed to clarify their findings. 

Most of the athletic population isn’t training as much as elite triathletes, and even among that population, more research. Until then, running is likely safe, and even effective, for increasing sperm count. So lace-up, fellas.