Most couples entering an IVF cycle are handed a thick packet of information, injections, retrieval timing, progesterone suppositories, dietary guidelines. Almost all of it is for her.
He gets: "Don't ejaculate for 2–3 days before the retrieval."
That's it. That's the guidance.
The reproductive urologist who founded LEV+LIV has had this conversation hundreds of times in his clinic. The man shows up as a support person. He leaves thinking his only job is to show up on a specific day.
That's not accurate. And it's costing couples outcomes.
The Biology Nobody Explains
Sperm takes 74–90 days to develop through a process called spermatogenesis. The sperm that will be used in your IVF retrieval is not the sperm your body made last week. It started developing nearly three months ago.
Which means: the most important window to optimize the man's sperm quality is the 90 days before retrieval, not the 48 hours before. Most couples find this out after the cycle hasn't gone the way they hoped.
What the Man Can Actually Do
Nutrition
The nutritional building blocks of sperm quality are specific and well-studied:
- Zinc: Required for DNA synthesis in developing sperm and for testosterone production
- Selenium: Antioxidant protection for developing sperm cells; associated with motility and morphology
- CoQ10: Mitochondrial energy support. Sperm cells are among the highest energy-demanding cells in the body, they need functional mitochondria to move
- L-Carnitine: Involved in mitochondrial energy for sperm. Studied specifically for progressive motility
- Lycopene: Antioxidant studied particularly for DNA fragmentation reduction
- Folate: Supports DNA integrity and reduces chromosomal abnormalities in sperm
- Vitamin D: Low vitamin D is associated with poor sperm quality across multiple parameters
None of these are exotic. All have peer-reviewed evidence. Most men aren't getting adequate amounts from diet alone.
Sleep
Testosterone production follows a circadian rhythm, it peaks during sleep. Men with chronic sleep disruption show measurably lower sperm counts and motility. 7–8 hours isn't aspirational wellness advice. For IVF prep, it's protocol.
Heat Avoidance
The testicles sit outside the body because sperm development requires a temperature about 2–4°F below core body temperature. Hot tubs, saunas, laptops on the lap, tight underwear, all elevate scrotal temperature and impair spermatogenesis. For the 90 days before retrieval, avoid sustained heat exposure.
Stress Management
Cortisol is testosterone's antagonist. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, suppresses testosterone, and increases oxidative stress that directly damages developing sperm. Build recovery into the protocol: sleep, exercise, managing what you can actually control.
Alcohol and Smoking
Both are associated with lower sperm count, reduced motility, and increased DNA fragmentation. The 90-day window is a good time to eliminate or significantly reduce both.
What to Avoid
- Long hot baths or hot tubs (over 30 minutes)
- Laptop on lap for extended sessions
- Anabolic steroids including testosterone therapy (these shut down sperm production)
- Excessive alcohol
- Recreational drugs including marijuana (associated with morphology changes)
- Extreme caloric restriction
The Protocol That Covers the Gap
Fertile Force was built for exactly this scenario. A single daily protocol addressing all the nutritional parameters most associated with IVF outcomes on the male side: count, motility, morphology, DNA integrity.
Formulated by Dr. Kian Asanad, a reproductive urologist and microsurgeon. He built Fertile Force because his IVF patients kept asking what to take, and there was nothing physician-formulated to hand them.
Start 90 days before retrieval. That's the window. Don't use it waiting.
