The Effect of Exercise on Sperm Motility and Male Fertility

by Nick Swanson

Effect of Exercise on Sperm Motility and Male Fertility

The process of pregnancy is complicated and involves many different aspects, including the fertility of both the man and woman involved in the pregnancy. This all starts with the fertility of a man and his sperm motility, which refers to the ability of his sperm to move to towards the eggs in the woman’s body.

If a man has a low motility rate, then there is a good chance it will negatively affect his fertility as his sperm will not be able to swim towards the eggs. When the entire process that is involved in pregnancy does not function properly, then either the man or the women may be infertile – which is also referred to as a condition where pregnancy is not achieved after an entire year of intercourse without the use of birth control or other contraception methods.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the United States report that approximately 15% of couples in America are unable to successfully conceive after a one-year period. They also report that the percentage falls to approximately 10% when looking at successful pregnancy over a two-year period of conceiving. They also report that the success rate of conceiving among couples under the age of 30 is between 20% and 37% within their first three months.

What Causes Fertility Problems?

Infertility can be caused by a variety of factors, but they are always related to physical elements as fertility relies on numerous physical aspects, such as low sperm count, sperm quality, and sperm motility.

Mayo Clinic reports that the most common cause of infertility that is also usually reversible is a condition known as varicocele. This causes a swelling effect in the veins that drains the testicle, which leads to a reduction in sperm quality. They continue to report that numerous other causes and contributing risk factors have been identified, including:

  • Ejaculation problems, such as retrograde ejaculation.
  • Infections in the genital region.
  • Antibodies that have a negative impact on sperm.
  • Tumors affecting a man’s reproductive organ.
  • Undescended testicles.
  • Hormone imbalances.
  • Erectile dysfunction and hypospadias.
  • Celiac disease.
  • Medication such as testosterone replacement therapy, chemotherapy, and antifungal drugs.

Exercise To Improve Fertility

Effect of Exercise on Sperm Motility

Exercise is a vital part of a people wellbeing and has numerous benefits for a person’s overall health, including their fertility. Physical exercise contributes to healthy fertility in more than one ways.

Due to the fact that weight can have an impact on a person’s sexual health, taking part in frequent exercise routines can help a person’s achieve and maintain a healthy weight, which is essential for a healthy sex life. Exercise also has a direct impact on a person’s sexual life, apart from the weight-management advantages.

While exercise is considered an excellent way to maintain a healthy life and sexual health, a new study found that just the right amount of exercise is required in order to maintain healthy sperm motility.

The study was conducted by the Yamaguchi University located in Japan. A total of 215 men participated in the study and were divided into three different groups. One group took part in heavy exercise routines, while another only took part in moderate exercise routines and the last took part in lighter exercise routines. Among all three groups, body mass index (BMI) and age were similar.

The study recorded the effects each type of exercise routine had on the participant’s improve sperm motility. A sperm motility of 40% or less were considered to be low. The findings of the study were as follow:

  • Among the group who took part in light exercise routines, a total of 31% of the male participants had a low sperm motility rate.
  • Among the group who took part in moderate exercise routines, a total of 14.3% of the male participants had a low sperm motility rate.
  • Among the group who took part in more intense exercise routines, a total of 27% of the male participants had a low sperm motility rate.

These findings provided evidence that a moderate level of exercise on a frequent basis could provide the most advantages to male motility and may also have better effects on male fertility when compared to lighter or heavier exercise routines. Thus, this new study recommends that men who struggle with fertility problems should look at their current duration, intensity, and frequency of exercise. They will then be able to determine the level of impact – light, moderate or heavy – their exercise routines have on their bodies, thus also helping them determine if an adjustment in their exercise routine might help them achieve better sperm motility, thus also leading to an increase in fertility rates.


Male fertility is complicated and involves different aspects of the man’s reproductive system. If a problem develops with a man’s sperm motility, quality or count, they can also experience problems conceiving successfully. This new study has provided new findings on the effects exercise has on sperm’s motility rate, which leads to the conclusion that a moderate exercise routine may be a better option for men, especially when they have fertility issues.