If you’re here, it’s likely because you and your partner are thinking about getting pregnant. Congratulations! The path to parenthood is a beautiful journey, one unique to each couple. Whether you’re just starting to think about getting pregnant or have already started trying to conceive, you’re in good company.
At Beli, our mission is to optimize men’s fertility in order to help you reach your dreams of parenthood. We’re invested both in the science of fertility and in learning all we can about the lived experience of couples walking their own paths to pregnancy. We understand that the journey to parenthood isn’t always a straight line. We’re here to support you each step of the way.
Information aimed at helping women prepare for conception and pregnancy seems almost endless, but there are fewer resources for men seeking to optimize their health and fertility in preparation for parenthood. Yet, male fertility health accounts for half of every successful conception. The science is clear: men’s fertility matters!
In the spirit of shedding light on fertility for men, including the nutrition steps you can take to support successful conception, we’ve compiled information for future dads who want to pass on their strongest possible legacy. Whether you want to raise your sperm count, improve sperm motility (their swimming power), improve your likelihood of successful fertilization, or all of the above, Beli Vitality can help.
Read on to learn about the ways you can support your fertility health with the right prenatal nutrition, including swapping your regular multivitamin for a high-quality men’s prenatal vitamin like Beli Vitality, formulated with the precise mix of vitamins, minerals, and adaptogens you need to support your fertility goals.
How to Nourish Your Sperm
Healthy pregnancies start with healthy sperm, and great sperm production begins with nutrition. It takes your body two or even three months to get your sperm in swimming shape. During sperm production, your body uses nutritional building blocks to create sperm and to protect them as they mature.
You already know that eating a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and high-quality protein can safeguard your overall health. When you’re planning a pregnancy, it’s essential to make sure you’re getting the right mix of high-quality nutrients you need to meet your individual goal of building strong sperm.
Your Goal: Raise your Sperm Count
When it’s time to try for a baby, you want to maximize your chance of conception by cultivating the highest possible concentration of sperm. Low sperm count is a growing problem for many men. Luckily, there’s a lot of research identifying the nutrients involved in raising your sperm count, including Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Folate, Manganese, and Zinc.
Making a few whole-foods additions to your diet can go a long way! Some ideas:
- Vitamin A and Folate: Both of these vitamins, crucial to raising your sperm count, are plentiful in eggs and in dark leafy vegetables.
- Vitamin B12: To amp up your stores of Vitamin B12, look to add quality animal protein like grass-fed beef, organ meats, and fish. If you eat a plant-based diet, fortified nutritional yeast is a great way to add B12 along with a punch of flavor to your veggies and grains.
- Zinc: You need a small and steady flow of this mineral to achieve a higher sperm count. Fish are a great heart-healthy source of Zinc.
- Manganese: Nuts and seeds make great all-around snacks, contributing Manganese, Zinc, and Folate to raise your sperm count.
To most effectively build your stores of nutrients that support higher sperm counts, you’ll need a daily men’s prenatal vitamin. Beli Vitality is our science-based blend of the right vitamins and minerals to help your body make and protect your most potent sperm. Start taking it as soon as you decide parenthood is on the horizon, then enjoy making that baby.
Your Goal: Improve Sperm Motility
For most men who need to boost the overall quality of their sperm, improving sperm motility, or sperm movement and swimming power, is a priority. Here, too, the science is on your side. Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and CoQ10 have all been shown to positively impact the ability of sperm to get where they need to go.
- Vitamin C: When eating to build up Vitamin C for fertility, aim for a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. Citrus and berries are great sources of Vitamin C, as are peppers and tomatoes.
- Vitamin D: Plentiful in fish, eggs, and cheese, your skin also has the ability to synthesize Vitamin D from sunlight.
- CoQ10: Fatty fish, organ meats, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale and cauliflower contain notable amounts of this antioxidant powerhouse.
When your goal is to raise these key vitamin and mineral levels to support sperm motility, it’s wise to make a daily prenatal vitamin for men part of your overall nutrition plan.
Your Goal: Improve the Likelihood of Successful Fertilization
The most concentrated, vigorously swimming sperm in the world won’t help you conceive if that sperm is struggling to penetrate the egg. There’s evidence to suggest that a high-quality source of Vitamin E facilitates the sperm’s fusion with the egg during conception.
- Vitamin E: Found in many foods with healthy fats, you can look to avocados, nuts, and seeds for solid sources of Vitamin E.
Wherever you are on your path to pregnancy, there are tangible steps you can take to feed your body exactly what it needs to produce effective sperm. Eating nourishing foods and committing to a scientifically formulated men’s prenatal vitamin is the perfect place to start.
In an extensive review of studies on male infertility, researchers found that 30%-80% of male infertility cases are related to oxidative stress. But there’s great news, too: the same study found that a combination of orally administered antioxidants, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and CoQ10, can positively impact every dimension of sperm production, including higher sperm concentration (a higher sperm count), sperm motility, and successful fertilization of the egg. Feeding your sperm is a vital step during every step on your path to pregnancy.
We formulated Beli Vitality for Men to meet these unique nutritional needs of men on their way to becoming fathers. Let’s walk the powerful path to pregnancy and parenthood together.