For a little background, when it comes to sperm health, it’s not just quantity that counts. Quality—which refers to the shape (morphology) and mobility (motility)—matters, too. Sperm quality also goes beyond these metrics. DNA errors in the sperm, problems with the Y chromosome, and, surprisingly, even the endocannabinoid system are all relevant to sperm maturation and health, as well. Moreover, the men included in these meta-analyses were not receiving fertility treatment or otherwise thought to be experiencing fertility challenges; therefore, the men most affected by the factors contributing to declines in sperm quantity were not included. The good news is that even with this astronomical decrease, sperm counts are still within normal range. And still, It is important to understand this dip and ensure this rate of decline does not continue. What is it about modern life that is wreaking havoc on male fertility? Try something with me: Search your mind’s eye for a vivid movie of what your day looked like yesterday? Conjure up every detail you can: what you did, what you thought, what you worried about, what you consumed, how often you sat and what you were doing while sitting, and the details of the environment surrounding you. Now do the same for an ordinary day in your grandfather’s life when he was your age. This will require some imagination on your part, but consider the differences in what your grandfather did, what he thought and worried about, what he consumed, how often he sat and what he was doing while sitting, and the details of the environment surrounding your grandfather. The difference between routines is where you can start to get a sense of what factors of modern life are taking such a toll on male fertility. (And female fertility, too.) Here are a few to consider: You also may have woken up tired because you didn’t get enough sleep after staying up late doing any number of things: watching TV, playing video games, or working on your laptop to try to meet endless deadlines and demands. You might have even been drinking caffeine and mindlessly snacking to keep yourself awake. Each of these interferes with your circadian rhythm, disrupts your balance of sex and stress hormones, and contributes to dysregulated blood sugar and risk for insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and accelerated aging. These types of stress, and their health consequences, are known in the scientific literature to affect sperm quantity and quality2. Add on top of this how rampant mental health challenges are today, and you can see how your grandfather’s stressors were very different from your own (even if your grandfather had fewer means than you enjoy today). At The Fertility & Pregnancy Institute, we teach how to do just that with the best-kept fertility secret: the Primemester™. The Primemester™ is the 120-plus days leading up to conception, and it is one of the most important and valuable windows of opportunity that we will ever have as human beings. It is during this window when we can literally change the quality and expression of the genes that we will pass down to our children (and grandchildren), through a process called epigenetics. Epigenetics literally means “above genetics,” and it refers to the process through which the expression of certain genes can be activated or suppressed, based on how you take care of yourself. Through epigenetics, you have the power to shape how your genes express themselves to produce your mental and physical health, including your sperm health and fertility. Here are some of the most simple things that we teach in the Primemester™ Protocol that you can start doing today to reduce the physiological and psychological stress in your life to improve your sperm health:
