Your 5-Step Guide To Becoming A later life father
Trying for a baby? Boost your odds of becoming a later-life dad by following these 5 easy to action tips.
Give your fertility a boost after 40.
THE BRIEF
Time to read: 3 minutes 30 seconds
Time to action: 10 minute
Mantra: 5 steps to increase your fertility odds
Main message: Will and willy in perfect harmony
Stat: 63% of individuals in their 40s who reported higher levels of sexual satisfaction compared with those in their 30s or younger
The UK’s sex statistics paint an exciting picture for Gen Xers:
Gen X has more sex than any generation that follows.
Becoming a parent is happening later in life more and more frequently.
The fertility rate in men over 40 has increased by over 20%.
It means that if you want to become a later-life dad, the odds are increasingly in your favour. But, to help you stack the numbers in your favour, we spoke to our resident GP to ask what should be done to help your little swimmers go for gold.
Step 1: Testicles – a user's guide
Don’t wear tight underwear, and ensure your pants are made from breathable cotton fabric. Hot tubs, saunas, and hot baths are all out too – just go for traditional showers.
Ideally, try not to sit with your laptop on your bits. The heat (from the laptop, not your private parts) can lead to unproductive (and indeed reproductive) excessive heat.
Step 2: Painkillers – a lost chemical romance
A good volume of research suggests that standard painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol, and indomethacin reduce the amount of testosterone produced. This affects the production of sperm.
Use balms or try acupuncture instead. Failing that, a dark room, some peace and quiet, and a slice of steely British resolve will do you.
Step 3: Plastics – avoid excess ingestion
Products containing BPA or phthalates are harmful as they can negatively impact sperm quality. Avoid reusing clear plastic water bottles, don’t heat foods in plastic containers, and store food in ceramic or glass containers wherever possible.
Additionally, if you’re feeling puritanical, buy foods that are not pre-packed in plastic, and use paper bags to pack loose fruit and vegetables.
Step 4: Nutrition – beat your meat
Reducing your consumption of red meat adds to your odds of a fertility win, so replace it with algae like spirulina. If you can’t kick it completely, eat one serving of red meat and two servings of white meat per week.
White fish can improve sperm morphology, whilst dark fish improves sperm count – so go for both every week.
Step 5: Drinking – Follow Gen Z To win
Ironically, despite the downturn in sex, Gen Z's approach to alcohol aids fertility. An occasional wine or beer with dinner isn’t a big deal, but heavier drinking reduces testosterone levels, which is critical in male fertility.
Alcohol increases heat in the body, which leads to lower sperm production and can damage the sperm's DNA.
The odds are getting better and better that a later life conception is on the cards for you. You know yourself and your situation better than ever, so keep yourself in good shape and enjoy the process.
If it happens to you soon, congratulations! Make sure you send us a picture. Of the baby, we mean, not the procreation – that’s an entirely different website altogether.
DR DRAGON
A GP for an eclectic community, Dr Dragon is a prolific author in the world of health. Award-winning for his content creation and ability to answer the actual questions asked of him, his theories are always worth listening to for those looking for the little things that can make a real difference in our lives.
