With so many great TV series like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, many men can’t help but get glued to their TV screens. However, a recent study has found that men with couch potato lifestyle were found to have lower sperm counts by a third compared to other men.
Researchers at Copenhagen University arrived at this conclusion after examining 1,200 healthy young men to check if their couch potato lifestyle affected their sperm count.
Their findings showed that binge-watching males had average sperms counts of 37 million per milliliter of fluid. In contrast, men who rarely watched TV had 52 million per milliliter. Normal sperm count ranges from 40 million to 300 million per millilitre. Anything below 15 million is perceived to be a low sperm count.
In addition, they also found that binge watchers had lower levels of testosterone, the hormone needed to produce sperm.
Experts believe that spending too much time watching TV is associated with unhealthy lifestyle activities such as not exercising and unhealthy eating.
“Time spent watching television, but not time sitting in front of a computer, was associated with lower sperm counts,” the study suggested.
“Furthermore, decreases in testosterone were detected in men watching many hours of television.”
The study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology also revealed that spending time sitting in front of the computer does not necessarily reduce sperm count.
What Activities Cause Low Sperm Count?
Having low sperm count can be caused by a number of factors including health problems, medical treatments, environmental elements, lifestyle and other causes.
Here are some activities that lowers sperm count, according to Mayo Clinic.
- Use of cocaine, marijuana as well as anabolic steroids.
- Consumption of alcohol.
- Any activity that involves prolonged sitting.
- Smoking of tobacco
- Experiencing prolonged emotional stress
What Can You Do To Improve Sperm Count?
While a lot of men might not care about having high or low sperm count, this would truly matter later on in life when you already want to have kids but experience difficulties because your habits led to a low sperm count. But it’s not too late to improve the number and have a better chance of getting that baby you and your partner are dreaming on.
Here are some lifestyle recommendations that men should do to improve chances of conception, according to FutureYou:
- Be healthy. You should try to maintain a healthy BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9. This can be achieved by eating a healthy, balanced diet.
- Quit smoking. This bad habit makes it more difficult to conceive. It’s a good idea to quit now to improve sperm count.
- Stay cool. While it is tempting to take hot baths or relax in a sauna, these activities are actually bad for your sperm. Remember that the ideal temperature for sperm production is around 34.5°C – and that is slightly below body temperature (37°C). It is also best to avoid hot or tight-fitting clothes.
- Lower your alcohol consumption. Drinking can make it more difficult to conceive, even in moderation. It is a good idea to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Make sure to spread that evenly over three days or more.
- Avoid recreational drugs that are known to reduce male fertility. Such include cannabis, anabolic steroids, opiates like heroin, cocaine and amphetamines.
- De-stress yourself. Prolonged or constant severe stress can limit sperm production.
- Reduce oxidative stress. Identified as one of the many mediators of male infertility, oxidative stress causes sperm dysfunction. Lifestyle changes can help reduce oxidative stress, including eating fruits and vegetables.