sperm

When looking for the right guy, I'm sure you have a list of traits he must possess, such as a good sense of humor, attractive appearance, subtle sensitivity, and an honest heart. A smart guy is a plus, too; intelligence goes a long way in my book, and as it turns out, sharp guys can not only help with your taxes, but they may also help in the baby-making department. Studies show a connection between high IQ and high quality sperm. That means an intelligent man has a higher sperm count, and his sperm are strong, perfectly shaped, and good swimmers. All these characteristics make for one fertile dude, so if you're trying to get pregnant, you might have an easier time with a brainy guy!

Now that's not to say that a non-Harvard graduate has bad sperm. Other factors play into the quality of a man's swimmers, such as exercise, diet, genes, stress level, use of steroids, alcohol consumption, and tobacco and marijuana use. So even if your man isn't well-versed in Shakespeare or can't spell to save his life, he can still father your children — he just may not be able to help them with their geometry homework!

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If you need another reason to keep your weight down, especially this holiday season, use better sex as your motivator! As stated in the December issue of Glamour magazine, research shows that sustaining a healthy weight can actually boost sex drive and fertility in both men and women. Mary Jane Minkin, MD, explains that extra body fat makes extra estrogen which has the ability to hinder ovulation in women, and new research reveals that those excess pounds on men could damage their precious sperm.

Since exercising gives you those "feel-good endorphins," hit the gym and keep your BMI between 20 and 24.9 — your body and boyfriend will thank you!

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Many people think men have it a lot easier than women when it comes to making babies, but they have to do their part as well — especially when it comes to taking care of their sperm, since so many things can affect them. Eating soy may decrease their sperm count, spending too much time in hot tubs can also have the same effect (although temporarily), and now men have to worry about their cell phones. Yep, it's true. Cell phones are believed to be safe enough to use every day, but now a new study suggests that guys who put their phones in their pockets (on talk mode) while using a headset may have a decrease in the quality of their sperm. It has something to do with their precious business being exposed to cell phone emissions.

To hear the details about the connection between sperm and cell phones, read more

With all this talk about meat and dairy products causing heart problems, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, more people are switching to alternative foods made with low fat, high protein soy. Tofu, soy milk, and fermented soy products such as tempeh, miso soup, and soy sauce are just a few, and so many people are adding them to their diets to be healthier. Some rumors have been spread that eating soy causes breast cancer, but right now the American Institute for Cancer Research says that there's no evidence that proves this theory. Well that's good news for the ladies, but as far as men go, now there's talk about how soy may affect sperm count. A US study discovered that men who included soy in their diets (equivalent to one cup of soy milk or one serving of tofu every other day) had an average sperm count of 41 million sperm per milliliter less than men who didn't eat soy foods. Geez, that's a huge drop in those little guys!

Now before you freak out, this isn't to say that eating soy affects the chances of having a baby; after all, soy products have been a part of Asian diets for generations with no signs of fertility problems. Also, this study doesn't touch upon the quality of sperm, and since it only takes one good swimmer to make a baby, it seems that more research needs to be done before drawing any conclusions about tofu and fertility. So as with everything, I think moderation is the key.

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A while ago, I answered a question about a woman who was dating a guy who lost both of his testicles in a car accident. It wasn't clear if this man could have an erection or an orgasm, but that post brought up many questions about orgasms and how it's possible to have one if you don't have any semen.

Here's the deal. Some men have what's called a dry orgasm. This means that they can have an erection, but when they climax, no semen gets ejaculated out of the penis. There can be several causes of dry orgasms:

• Surgical removal or damage to the testicles, bladder, or prostate.
• Radiation therapy directed at the pelvic area (such as for treatment of prostrate cancer).

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