What Can I Take to Increase Sperm Mobility?

Adequate sperm mobility is necessary for reproduction. According to the Mayo Clinic, if more than half of your sperm are slow moving, you could experience fertility problems. If you’re experiencing infertility due to low sperm mobility, you might find that specific, easy to find supplements can aid in increasing your sperm's mobility. Some of the supplements will also increase your sperm count and overall sexual function.

Supplements to Consider

• Sperm quality is often measured by its mobility, as well as its overall count. In addition to being able to quickly move forward, sperm must also digest the tissue surrounding the ovum to fertilize an egg. Mobility is impacted by a sperm’s shape and how quickly it can move. Your sperm normally move forward by whipping their tails back and forth; however, sometimes sperm agglutination—or the clumping together of sperm—can occur. Sperm agglutination does happen naturally, even in men with normal sperm mobility, but it shouldn’t occur in more than one-quarter of a man’s sperm.

  Proper nutrition can help reduce your chances of sperm agglutination and increase your sperm’s mobility. Marilyn Shannon, author of “Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition,” says the wives of men who had experienced infertility due to sperm agglutination conceived within 60 days of incorporating Vitamin C into their diets. The women also took a Vitamin C supplement as well. For maximum benefit, take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. Vitamin C will also raise your overall sperm count. Researchers concluded that testosterone production is dependent on Vitamin C.

  Another nutrient necessary for testosterone production is zinc; this can also help improve your sexual desire, improve motility and increase sperm count. Take 50 mg of zinc daily. In a normal man, the highest concentrates of zinc are naturally found in the sperm and prostate, so even a mild deficiency can contribute to fertility issues.
  To improve your glandular function, take essential fatty acids on a regular basis. Take one tablespoon of flax oil daily. Find essential fatty acids in safflower and soy oils, too.

  Take 200 mcg of Selenium daily, too. Shannon says that a selenium deficiency contributes to immobile sperm with fragile tails that break off. Because large amounts of selenium are found in your sperm, every time you ejaculate, you need to replenish this nutrient. For most men, this process happens naturally, but if you’re experiencing infertility, you might need to supplement with selenium. The Mayo Clinic also says to make sure you're taking a multi-vitamin, as many multi-vitamins for men contain selenium, zinc and even folic acid.