The "Low Hanging Fruits" of Male Fertility + How to Fix Them

When couples are trying to conceive, the focus often falls on women; their cycles, hormones, and lab testing. But the truth is, male fertility accounts for nearly half of the equation. And while sperm health is often misunderstood, it’s actually highly sensitive to lifestyle factors, especially heat exposure.

Why Heat Matters for Sperm Health

The body is intelligent. The testes are designed to sit outside the body in the scrotum so they can stay slightly cooler than core body temperature. When it’s cold, they draw closer to the body; when it’s warm, they hang lower, all part of the body’s built-in system to protect sperm production. (Now do you get the low hanging fruit reference 😆)

But here’s the catch: when temperatures rise beyond the body’s natural ability to self-regulate—think hot tubs, tight clothing, sedentary lifestyle and even fevers—sperm production and quality take a direct hit.

Heat stress has been shown to:

• Disrupt spermatogenesis (the process of making sperm), leading to reduced sperm count, motility, and morphology.

• Damage DNA integrity through oxidative stress, which can impact not just fertility but also increase risks of genetic abnormalities in offspring.

• Alter hormone balance by shifting levels of testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which is the key brain signal that tells the testes to produce sperm.

  
  

This isn’t just about “comfort.” It’s about protecting one of the most delicate processes in the body, spermatogenesis, which takes around 74 days from start to finish. What happens in those months leading up to conception matters.

Everyday Drivers of Testicular Heat Stress

We don’t always realize how common heat stressors are in modern life. Some of the biggest contributors include:

• Sitting for long hours at a desk or during commutes

• Cycling

• Hot tubs, hot showers, and saunas

• Tight underwear or synthetic athletic gear

• Placing laptops or phones directly on the lap

• Occupational exposures (truck drivers, welders, chefs, construction workers, and more.)

• Fevers or illness (which can impair sperm for up to two months afterward!)

In other words, you don’t need to be spending your weekends in a sauna for this to matter (but if you are and you're actively TTC, I would reconsider). It’s about cumulative exposure and giving the body fewer barriers to overcome.

Action Steps to Protect Sperm Health

The good news? Small, consistent shifts can make a big difference. Here are a few practical strategies:

1. Get up and move every hour. Even 3–5 minutes of walking or stretching helps.

2. Use cooling strategies on long drives or sedentary days, consider wearable ice packs (Amazon does literally have everything), breathable clothing like cotton, or even a small desk fan.

3. Swap tight underwear for loose, organic cotton boxers to promote airflow, and ditch them completely at night.

4. Rethink workouts. If cycling is your go-to, try alternating with other forms of exercise while trying to conceive.

5. Limit hot tubs, baths, and saunas (save those for later).

6. Keep electronics away from the lap—desks and tables are better homes for laptops.

7. Support recovery after fever—remember sperm health may be affected for 45–58 days post-illness. Prioritize anti-oxidant rich foods and supplements.

Nutrients Matter, Too

Beyond lifestyle, nutrient status plays a major role in male fertility. One standout is vitamin D. A 2023 systematic review of over 7,000 men found that those with vitamin D deficiency had significantly poorer sperm parameters, including lower count, concentration, motility, and morphology.

This is one of many reasons I always encourage a whole-body approach to male fertility, it’s not just about one variable, but how nutrition, lifestyle, hormones, and environment all intersect.

Supplements to Support Male Fertility:

In addition to lifestyle changes and nutrient-rich foods, supplements can be an effective way to fill in gaps and give sperm the building blocks they need to thrive. Here are some of my top recommendations when supporting male fertility in practice:

• FH Pro Fertility Multivitamin for Men – A comprehensive, research-backed prenatal for men with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support sperm count, motility, and morphology.

• High-Quality Fish Oil (Omega-3s) – Omega-3 fatty acids help build healthy sperm membranes, improve motility, reduce inflammation, and support hormone balance.

• Vitamin D3 + K2 – Essential for testosterone production and sperm development; low vitamin D is strongly linked to infertility. K2 improves absorption and directs calcium properly.

• Ashwagandha – An adaptogenic herb shown to increase sperm count, volume, testosterone, and libido while calming the nervous system and lowering stress hormones.

• Needed Men’s Sperm Support – A clinically-backed formula with minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics designed by reproductive experts to improve sperm quality.

Supplements are most powerful when paired with lifestyle strategies like reducing heat exposure, moving regularly, and eating nutrient-dense foods. Together, these create the foundation for healthier sperm and improved fertility outcomes.

Where to Start

If you or your partner are preparing for pregnancy, here are three steps worth considering:

• Dig deeper with male-focused lab testing. A “normal” semen analysis doesn’t always tell the whole story, male fertility is a reflection of overall health. My Mini Lab Packages allow us to explore key areas like hormones, gut health, toxin burden, nutrient status, and customized blood panels.

• Comprehensive semen analysis with DNA fragmentation testing. You can order a direct to consumer kit for a home sample discounted here.

• Check out my FREE Male Fertility Guide. This free resource walks you through the top 10 ways to optimize sperm health and improve male fertility. Get it here!

• Explore targeted male fertility supplements. Check out my Fullscript Dispensary for access to discounted medical-grade vitamins & supplements.

Your fertility journey deserves the full picture, and protecting it doesn’t require perfection, just awareness and strategic shifts.