How to Improve Your Sperm Health in 90 Days | Dr Michael Eisenberg and Dr Natalie Crawford | EP#431

Visit The Proof website for the full show notes and supporting studies: https://theproof.com/podcast/ Simon's personal supplement stack: https://hub.theproof.com/supplements A study out of Denmark followed men for up to fifty years after a single semen analysis, and found that every parameter measured was associated with age of death. Lower volume, lower concentration, lower total count: each one tracked with dying earlier. Sperm are not just about making a baby, they appear to be one of the most sensitive readouts of male health we have, and almost no man is checking. I'm joined by Dr Michael Eisenberg, a urologist, Director of Male Reproductive Health at Stanford University and Chief Medical Advisor of SwimClub, whose NIH-funded lab studies the link between reproductive and overall health in men, and Dr Natalie Crawford, a reproductive endocrinologist and co-founder of Fora Fertility in Austin, Texas. Between them they see both halves of the fertility picture, and roughly half of Natalie's clinical work is spent on the male side of the equation. In this conversation we cover: What a semen analysis actually measures, and why ejaculating normally tells you nothing Semen quality as a sixth vital sign, and its links to metabolic, immune, and long-term health Why testosterone therapy has been trialled as a contraceptive, and how long it takes to recover Whether sperm counts are genuinely declining, and what is likely driving it Cannabis, alcohol, heat, cycling, sleep, and body weight: what the evidence supports 00:00 Why Male Fertility Is the Missing Half 02:48 Meet the Male Fertility and IVF Experts 09:31 Why Women Get Treated Before Men Get Tested 17:25 What a Semen Analysis Actually Measures 24:02 How Cannabis Wrecks Your Sperm 28:35 Sperm: Your Body's Check Engine Light 39:42 How Sperm Are Made and Why Counts Are Falling 43:53 How Dad's Health Shapes the Baby and Placenta 48:43 At Home vs Clinic Sperm Tests 54:19 The Semen Numbers That Actually Matter 01:00:44 How Testosterone Destroys Fertility 01:03:37 What TRT Does to Sperm Production 01:12:37 Why You Should Retest Your Sperm 01:15:10 How Long to Abstain Before Testing 01:20:49 Treatment Options That Actually Work 01:24:41 Paternal Age and Freezing Sperm 01:27:52 Older Fatherhood, Age Limits, and Ethics 01:30:21 Can We Genetically Engineer Better Sperm 01:34:26 The Best and Worst Things for Your Sperm 01:37:54 How Weight and Sleep Hurt Sperm 01:40:59 GLP-1s and Metformin: Fertility Risks 01:48:48 The Sperm Supplements That Actually Work 01:51:36 The Strict Sperm Optimization Protocol 01:57:48 Heat, Toxins, and Timing Mistakes 02:01:28 First Steps If You Can't Get Pregnant This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Head to https://38tera.com/?ref=SIMON and use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. IM8 With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on http://im8health.com/. IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at http://functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Pique Pique’s Nandaka combines fermented Pu’er tea, full-spectrum Reishi, ceremonial cacao, and L-theanine for calm, sustained energy without the coffee crash. Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at http://piquelife.com/simon. Pique ships within the U.S. and to Australia, Canada, and select EU countries. Skylight Families are better when they’re working together. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch Calendars by going to http://myskylight.com/THEPROOF. Skylight ships within the U.S. and to Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on http://join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.