Links
Sites and Socials of interest
https://www.youtube.com- Rhod Gilbert, Welsh funnyman made this excellent one-off show for the BBC. I watched it soon after my first son was born and it really made an impact on me, making me realise something very important- I’m not the only one.
https://www.knackeredknackers.co.uk - Shaun shares his story of living with male factor infertility and conception via donor sperm. His site provides a private and anonymous forum for members only
https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com - Set up in 2015, The Fertility Podcast has covered the A-Z of fertility, discussing how to optimise your fertility and get pregnant naturally to dealing with miscarriage. Natalie is on a mission to give male fertility a voice
https://eggcellentadventure.com - Matt and Doree broadcast “in the moment” episodes, giving the listener real insight and offering a humorous take on male infertility leading to IVF
pursuingfatherhood - Instagram. A refreshing and honest take on male factor infertility, using donor sperm, and parenting a donor conceived child from the male perspective
https://www.fertilityfamily.co.uk - website created by UK based healthcare company to sell their own products but they also have informative content on their blog, such as Top Signs of Unhealthy Sperm and What To Do Next
Services and products I recommend
Snow Balls - cooling underwear, scientifically proven to improve fertility by lowering the average temperature of balls. Interesting correlation with the “70’s big” bodybuilding community
Supps - I get mine on Amazon and try to combine them in as few pills as possible (currently taking three every morning).
1. Vitamin D. 4. Selenium
2. Zinc 5. Vitamin E
3. Vitamin C. 6. L’arginine
Fitness - some excellent online coaches out there. Research highlights HIIT and weight training are the best for fertility but of course, if you’re looking to get fit instead of maintaining fitness, some exercise is exponentially better than no exercise. I recommend Bradley Simmonds, Joe Wicks, Shaun T.
If you already know what you’re doing but perhaps are looking for some tips, feel free to get in touch. I’ve been weight training consistently for the past 8 years and have made plenty of mistakes that I’m happy to share with you. If you’re looking for equipment to use at home or traveling, you can do worse than grabbing these on a budget or perhaps even these if you’re willing to spend the cash
Food - I have found the easiest and most convenient way to watch what I eat is to use a recipe box delivery service like Hello Fresh, Gousto or The Mindful Chef. It takes away the burden of grocery shopping and cuts down waste whilst catering for a variety of dietary requirements
Academic Research
Diet and Male Fertility - The relationship between major dietary patterns and fertility status in iranian men: a case–control study
According to a study co-authored by Swan in 2017, sperm counts in the western world have fallen by an astonishing 59% between 1973 and 2011. At this rate, sperm counts will likely reach zero by as soon as 2045. Zero.
