Male fertility supplements: what the evidence actually says

No male fertility supplement has been shown to raise a couple's chance of a baby in a large, well-run trial. The biggest one, in 2,370 men, gave half of them folic acid and zinc, and live birth rates came out at 34% against 35% on placebo. A Cochrane review of antioxidants found hints of benefit, but rated the certainty as very low. A semen analysis, less alcohol and no smoking have a better case behind them than any tablet.

How can a man boost his fertility fast?

There is no fast way, and anyone selling one is selling hope. Start early, be patient, and do not buy the first packet a seller recommends.

What can be done now is simple. Get a semen analysis first. Cut down on alcohol and stop smoking, because the World Health Organization lists smoking, excessive alcohol and obesity as things that can affect fertility. Avoid anabolic steroids, because the same WHO page says they can cause abnormal sperm count and shape.

What are the best male fertility supplements, tablets and pills?

Nobody can name a best one. Any list of the top 5 or top 10 male fertility supplements is an advert wearing a list, because a ranking needs evidence that one product beats the others, and that evidence does not exist.

Most products sold for male fertility hold the same ingredients in different bottles: zinc, folate, vitamin E, selenium, coenzyme Q10 and L-carnitine. They sell because they sound sensible.

Do zinc and folate improve sperm?

This is the best-tested pair. The Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation Trial (FAZST) was funded by the United States National Institutes of Health and published in JAMA in 2020. It followed 2,370 men whose partners were seeking infertility treatment. The men took folic acid and zinc or a placebo. Live birth was 34% in the supplement group and 35% in the placebo group, and the authors concluded the supplements did not significantly improve semen quality or live birth rates.

One limit applies. The men were a general group, not men picked for a deficiency. A doctor can check for a true deficiency, and that is a separate question from buying a booster.

Do antioxidants like vitamin E, selenium, CoQ10 and L-carnitine work?

The most complete summary is the Cochrane review of antioxidants for male subfertility, updated in 2022. It pooled 90 randomised trials covering 10,303 men and 20 different oral antioxidants.

The sentence says may, and it says very low certainty. Only 12 of the 90 trials measured live birth. The authors cite poor reporting and small trials, and when trials at high risk of bias were removed, the live birth benefit disappeared. It also found slightly more mild stomach upset with antioxidants and no difference in miscarriage.

The review lumps 20 antioxidants together, so it cannot say which one helps which man. We will not tell you that CoQ10, selenium, vitamin E or L-carnitine works or fails, because the evidence stops before that question gets an answer. If a seller gives you a confident answer, ask which trial it came from.

What can a man drink to increase his fertility or make his sperm thicker?

We found no trial showing that any drink raises sperm count or fertility. Our guide on what the evidence says about goron tula and tiger nut covers what has been tested, and it is mostly rats.

A drink can also do harm. The National Health Service (NHS) says drinking too much alcohol can affect the quality of sperm. So the most useful change for a man who drinks heavily is a smaller drink.

Thick semen is no proof of fertility. The NHS describes the real problems as too few sperm, sperm that do not move properly, and sperm of an abnormal shape.

Which lifestyle changes have better evidence?

• Smoking and alcohol. The NHS says smoking can reduce semen quality and heavy drinking can affect sperm quality. The WHO lists both.
• Weight. The WHO lists obesity among the factors that can affect fertility.
• Heat. The NHS notes a link between a hotter scrotum and poorer semen quality. It also says it is uncertain whether loose underwear improves fertility, so do not expect a quick fix there.
• Anabolic steroids and drugs. The WHO names anabolic steroids, and the NHS says illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine can affect semen quality.
• Infections. Chlamydia can affect fertility and is treatable with antibiotics, and the NHS lists a test for it as part of the male work-up.

None of these is a guarantee, and some of the evidence shows a link without proving cause. They cost little.

Should a man do a semen analysis first?

Yes, and before buying anything. The NHS describes a semen analysis as a check for problems with sperm, such as a low sperm count or sperm that are not moving properly. Without it, nobody knows whether a supplement is aimed at a real problem.

In Nigeria this is the step most often skipped. A woman can spend years on tests, scans and teas while her partner has never given a sample. Ask the clinic or a registered laboratory how the sample is collected and how long the result takes, then take the result to the doctor.

If you want a way to raise it with him without a fight, our his fertility checklist walks through the conversation, and the appointment questions tool helps you plan what to ask the doctor.

Are herbal manpower products safe, and what does NAFDAC say?

Products promising strength, stamina and fertility are sold openly in markets and on social media, and many carry no clear ingredient list. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has repeatedly warned about this market. In June 2026 it issued a public alert and recall for a sexual enhancement product sold as a dietary supplement, after testing found it contained sildenafil, tadalafil and flibanserin that were not listed on the label.

That product was for sexual performance and not for sperm, but it shows what can sit inside a capsule with a natural label. The alert says undeclared medicinal ingredients in products marketed as dietary supplements pose a significant health risk, and that sildenafil and tadalafil can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.

Before a man takes any product, look for a NAFDAC registration number on the pack and be wary if there is none. A number does not prove the product helps fertility. To report a suspect product, the alert gives the line 0800-162-3322 and the email sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.

When the woman is blamed for a man's result

The WHO states that infertility can come from male factors, female factors or unexplained causes, and that women in a relationship with a man are often perceived to be infertile whether they are or not. The WHO adds that women frequently experience violence, divorce and social stigma. A man quietly buying supplements while she is tested is avoiding the one test that could clear her name.

If you are reading this as a woman who has done everything, a semen analysis is a fair thing to ask for. Our guide on preparing to conceive covers what both of you can do together, and the fertile window guide covers timing, and timing matters whatever his result is.

Common questions

Sources

• Effect of Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation in Men on Semen Quality and Live Birth Among Couples Undergoing Infertility Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial — JAMA, 2020
• The same trial on PubMed — National Library of Medicine, 2020
• Antioxidants for male subfertility — Cochrane, 2022
• Infertility: causes — National Health Service
• Infertility: diagnosis — National Health Service
• Infertility overview — National Health Service
• Infertility fact sheet — World Health Organization
• Public Alert No. 31/2026: Recall of sexual enhancement product due to undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients — NAFDAC, 2026