The 7 Best Fertility Supplements for Men of 2024, According to a Dietitian

Fertility Supplements for Men We Excluded From Our List

Folic acid and zinc are two commonly studied and recommended supplements for male factor infertility; however, more recent studies have not found a strong enough connection between these nutrients and fertility. While these two nutrients do work together in sperm formation, clinical trials that had men supplement with these nutrients actually did not show improvements in sperm health. In fact, studies actually reported greater sperm fragmentation, which is a key marker linked to infertility. Plus, live births did not differ significantly between the supplemented and placebo groups. For these reasons, we did not feel that the evidence was strong enough to recommend taking specific folic acid and zinc supplements.

We also did not include any male fertility supplements that had ingredients, like various types of herbs, as these ingredients do not have research to show benefits.

Is a Fertility Supplement Beneficial for Men?

First, we must remember that a supplement is just that—something to supplement, or add to, a solid foundation of health. Eating a balanced diet, minimizing alcohol intake, not smoking, and being physically active are factors that may improve male fertility parameters and may impact male infertility most. It’s important to remember infertility is complex, and certain populations may or may not benefit from a supplement. Furthermore, if a semen analysis has revealed a specific issue, then a targeted supplement may offer more of a benefit.

We spoke with Dr. Temeka Zore, Director of Fertility Preservation at Spring Fertility in San Francisco, who says, “There are different issues that can impact sperm production, function and transportation.” A male fertility supplement may be beneficial for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

• Age. While sperm quality is less impacted by age in relation to female fertility, men over the age of 40 are more likely to report difficulty conceiving.
• Poor diet. Research has shown that consuming a typical Western diet that is higher in processed red meat, refined grains, sugary beverages, and alcohol can negatively impact semen quality and fecundity rates. Eating a diet that is more Mediterranean style and includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and poultry provides a man with more omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that can improve semen parameters.
• Lifestyle factors. Our fast-paced society promotes an always-busy, overly productive mentality which may be detrimental to mental health, ability to cope with stress, and sleep habits. All of these factors may impact a man’s health and sperm quality over time. Manaker says that “managing stress [and] prioritizing getting quality and adequate sleep (7-8 hours every night)” could help improve fertility.
• Physiological impairments. There are various conditions that directly impact a man’s physiology and hinder their semen quality and fertility. Such impairments could be trauma to the testes, varicoceles, hypothalamus or pituitary gland disorders.
• Environmental-related factors. Men who work in fields where they are exposed to radiation, environmental toxins (pesticides, lead, mercury, or cadmium), or high temperatures are more at risk for infertility.
• Medications. Zore says, “Testosterone [as anabolic steroids] can negatively impact sperm production because it lowers the amount of testosterone your own body will produce. The testicles need to be able to produce high levels of testosterone locally to adequately produce sperm. Additional medications that can impact sperm include certain medications to treat hair loss and some anti-depressants.”

If you are eating a Mediterranean-based diet, do not smoke, drink excessive alcohol, limit your exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, other environmental toxins, and are otherwise healthy and free of chronic medical conditions then you likely do not need to take supplements for fertility. Zore says, “In general, larger scale, randomized studies on supplements for male fertility or to improve sperm parameters on a semen analysis have been inconclusive and have shown little benefit. However, the majority of the supplements are vitamins and likely have minimal harm to your health.”

How We Select Supplements

Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here. 

We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. We prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent, third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab.com. 

It's important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend.

We interviewed the following fertility experts to give further insight into the best supplements for male fertility:

• Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT, author of Fueling Male Fertility and co-creator of Natalist Male Prenatal Daily Packets
• Dr. Temeka Zore, Director of Fertility Preservation at Spring Fertility in San Francisco

What to Look For in Fertility Supplements for Men

Third-Party Testing

Supplements that are third-party tested are sent to a lab where they are tested to ensure they contain what they say they contain and are not contaminated with specific high-risk, common contaminants. However, it’s important to note:

• Third-party testing does not test to see if a product is effective or safe for everyone, and it does not ensure the supplement will not interact with other supplements or medications.
• Not all third-party testing is created equal. It is not uncommon for supplement companies to pay labs for certificates after conducting minimal to no testing. 
• The third-party certifications we can trust are ConsumerLab.com, NSF, and USP. However, these certifications are difficult to obtain and/or expensive for manufacturers, so many companies choose not to get their products tested by one of these three organizations. 
• Sometimes products tested by these three companies are more expensive to try to offset the cost they pay for certification.
• Just because a supplement is not tested by one of these three companies, it does not mean it’s a bad product. We recommend doing some research on the reputability of the manufacturer and calling up the manufacturer and their testing lab to determine their protocols and decide if you feel comfortable consuming the supplement.

Form

Fertility supplements, which can be vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other nutrient compounds, can be found in pill, gummy, powder, or liquid form. Supplements that contain multiple ingredients or “bulky” nutrients like minerals are less likely to come in easier to tolerate gummy or liquid forms, so this is something to consider if you want these forms of supplements. 

Ingredients & Potential Interactions

It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included, relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient. Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.

Some fertility supplements may contain nutrients that interact with medications or compete for absorption with other nutrients. So, we recommend to review these products with your healthcare provider before taking any supplement. You may also find other herbs, probiotics, raw food ingredients, and sugars added into fertility supplements, which may be concerning for certain health conditions you may have. Always speak with your healthcare provider to discuss potentially taking any of these products. 

Dosage

Research is ongoing for how dietary supplements impact fertility and the recommended doses of each nutrient. There are few evidence-based recommendations for the dosages of these products. For some vitamins, like vitamin D and folate, fertility specialists will often suggest doses that go above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), but no official recommendations have been set.

If you have a question about the best recommended dose you should take of a fertility supplement, consult a healthcare professional. 

How Much is Too Much?

You may notice when looking at fertility supplements that the amounts for some nutrients are often exceptionally higher than the 100% Daily Value (DV). More research is needed to determine what levels many of these supplements are safe or provide benefit, so always discuss these products with a healthcare provider before taking them. 

It’s also important to consider if you have a true deficiency of a nutrient (this can be verified by obtaining blood work), if you have absorption issues, or other medical conditions. If you have one (or more) of these, that will play a role in determining what is an appropriate or inappropriate amount of a nutrient to take.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Casey Seiden is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist based out of New York City. Casey works at Maternal Fetal Medicine Associates, the premier maternal fetal medicine practice in Manhattan, where she provides nutrition therapy and counseling to women with high risk pregnancies. She is also the founder of Casey Seiden Nutrition, a virtual private practice specializing in a non-diet approach to diabetes care and women’s health.