Male Fertility: Are Men Fertile for Their Whole Lives?

Male fertility, unlike female fertility, doesn't diminish to the point of complete infertility. There are no limits, neither in age nor number, to the amount of sperm men can produce. However, despite being always fertile, male fertility decreases with age.

It’s a known fact that women’s fertility is restricted. Alarm bells may even start ringing when they reach 30 and still don’t have children. However, male fertility is quite different, and many people wonder until what age men can be fertile.

The first thing you should know is that their age matters. This even influences the future health of the child. As men get older, the chances of conceiving a healthy child do go down.

Male fertility begins to decrease after age 40. Then, the sperm quality reduces. This means it takes longer for their partner to conceive. When they do, there’s an increased risk of miscarriage.

Are men fertile for their whole lives?

There have been numerous cases where men over age 80 have conceived. This is conclusive proof that men are fertile until their last breath.

Men produce sperm for their whole lives. Therefore, theoretically, men can be fertile for their whole lives. However, the power decreases considerably with age.

Despite everything, no two men are exactly alike. Their genetic makeup varies from one person to another. In addition, there are numerous factors. For example, diet and sex life can determine the chances of conceiving at an old age.

What can men do to be fertile for their whole lives?

Actually, there are many ways to increase men’s fertility, even at older ages. The important thing is to choose the right lifestyle and keep stress at bay.

There are some simple lifestyle changes that men can do to increase fertility. They’ll increase the chances of conception. Here are some tips to take into account:

1. Avoid becoming overweight

To begin, you should know that it’s important to be healthy. Being overweight has negative effects. It causes the testosterone level to be lower because fat reduces these levels in the body. Likewise, obesity affects fertility and sperm count.

2. Maintain a good diet

Eating well improves the quality and quantity of sperm. Therefore, men should stay away from fatty foods as much as possible.

This precaution will reduce the risk of sperm damage significantly. In addition, you should consider that not eating meat significantly reduces the number of sperm.

In addition, men who have a diet high in folate have between 20% and 30% less risk of having abnormal sperm. Folate is a vitamin B that’s present in many foods like asparagus or broccoli.

3. Exercise

Exercising regularly can help stay fertile. This is because it helps you control body weight and relieve stress.

Men who exercise regularly, more than 7 hours a week, have twice as high of sperm counts than men who don’t exercise or don’t exercise enough.

4. Stop smoking

Smoking not only affect the lungs.  In fact, it can also damage male fertility.  Nicotine decreases the sperm count, as well as its quality and quantity.

5. Reduce alcohol consumption

Limiting alcohol is necessary to staying fertile. While it’s not as harmful as nicotine, excessive alcohol decreases the amount and quality of sperm.

6. Avoid heat

The heat from saunas or hot tubs is terrible for sperm. They raise the temperature in men’s testicles. Therefore, this reduces sperm production.

7. Learn to manage stress

Cortisol, the stress hormone, decreases the production of testosterone in the body. When that happens, sperm production also reduces. Therefore, chronic and intense stress can actually affect fertility.

Finally, remember that even though men can be fertile for their whole lives, sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are the main preventable causes of infertility in men. Both this and the previous suggestions will allow you to enjoy a longer fertile life.