- \n
- Dressel\u2019s typical breakfast is oatmeal with honey, and he refuels with chocolate milk. While whole grains are associated with better sperm health, all that added sugar may be detrimental.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- He\u2019ll spend up to six hours a day in the pool \u2014 plus a weight workout. Moderate physical activity is good for fertility, but super intense exercise can actually stress out the body and impair sperm production.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dressel makes sure to get eight-and-a-half hours of sleep a night, which is perfect \u2014 7\u20139 hours is ideal for sperm health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Caeleb Dressel\u2019s typical breakfast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before heading out for the first of two daily swim practices, Dressel opts for a light, carb-focused breakfast for energy: Usually a piece of toast, a bagel, or oatmeal with honey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2705Good for sperm. <\/strong>Studies show that eating nutrient-rich whole grains like oats is associated with better sperm health.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s even some evidence that honey may improve sperm count and quality. Specifically, one small study looked at tualang honey, a raw honey from the giant honey bee native to Southeast Asia.2<\/sup> The researchers found that men who supplemented their diet with tualang honey saw significant improvements to sperm concentration, motility (sperm\u2019s ability to swim), and morphology (the percentage of sperm that are the proper size and shape).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/carnivore-diet-best-foods-for-male-fertility1715972651.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCaeleb Dressel\u2019s workout regimen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dressel\u2019s multiple world and Olympic records didn\u2019t come out of nowhere. He\u2019ll spend up to six hours a day in the pool and hit the weight room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEverything I do in the gym translates to being a better swimmer,” Dressel told Men\u2019s Health<\/em>. “My lifting routine is designed to develop and maintain explosive strength off the block, so it mainly includes cleans, power cleans, jerks and snatches. I\u2019ll usually end my power days with some box jumps and medicine ball throws to help build up my burst as well.” He can snatch 198 pounds and squat 385.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2757Not the best for sperm. <\/strong>Studies have found that moderate exercise is best for sperm health. Intense exercisers \u2014 like marathoners and weightlifters \u2014 tend to have lower semen parameters.3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intense exercise releases stress hormones like cortisol, which might impact sperm production and quality. Researchers theorize that an increase in cortisol can result in a decrease in other hormones, like testosterone, that are involved in sperm production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/moderate-exercise-for-sperm-health1721922824.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCaeleb Dressel\u2019s post-workout boost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After practice, Dressel refuels with a protein bar or chocolate milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274cBad for sperm. <\/strong>There is some evidence that milk is a great recovery fuel after a workout, since it hydrates and delivers a balanced ratio of carbohydrates and protein.4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, chocolate milk delivers a whopping 24g of sugar in just one 8-ounce glass. If you\u2019re a vigorous athlete, your muscles may benefit from the glycogen sugar provides. The rest of us, take note: Regularly consuming sugar-sweetened beverages has been correlated with lower sperm health.5<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn more about <\/em>sugar and sperm health<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caeleb Dressel\u2019s typical dinner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After a four-hour afternoon practice, Dressel\u2019s priority is to “get food as fast as I can.” His favorite dinner? “I love meatloaf so much,” he said. He\u2019s also posted a photo on Instagram<\/a> of him and his wife devouring chicken wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274c Bad for sperm. <\/strong>Red meat and fried foods aren\u2019t good for sperm.1<\/sup> Dressel \u2014 who burns thousands of calories a day \u2014 can handle meatloaf and wings, but options like seafood or grilled chicken are more likely to improve fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caeleb Dressel\u2019s nighttime routine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The pressure to succeed led Dressel to experience anxiety and depression, causing an eight-month break from swimming in 2022. Now, to manage those issues, he has daily rituals that focus on mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He writes in two journals \u2014 one about his swim practice, one personal \u2014 then powers down his devices and relaxes for an hour before bed. Every night, he focuses on getting 8\u00bd hours of sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know this stuff really does sound stupid, but this is one of the reasons why I think I\u2019ve seen some success in this sport\u2014the tiny little habits,\u201d he told GQ<\/em>. \u201cI really consider being successful in this sport as just dropping pennies in the bank. And that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing every day when I do these stupid, mundane little tasks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2705Good for sperm. <\/strong>Both stress and poor sleep can contribute to unhealthy sperm. Anything you can do to relax and enable 7\u20139 hours of quality sleep will benefit sperm health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2017 study, for example, found that later bedtimes and lower sleep durations were correlated with significantly lower sperm counts and sperm motility.6<\/sup> Why? The men who slept less and went to bed later were more likely to have dysfunctional immune proteins that mistakenly attacked their sperm, known as antisperm antibodies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn more about <\/em>sleep and sperm health<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/sleep-sperm-health1721922823.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nHow does your <\/em>sperm measure up?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you care about your diet, gains in the gym, or overall fitness, testing and storing your sperm may be a good idea. Not only is sperm quality a biomarker for your overall health, some of the habits people consider \u201chealthy\u201d \u2014 see above \u2014 can actually lower your sperm quality. What\u2019s more: For many men, making simple lifestyle changes can improve sperm quality within weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
See where you stand with a Legacy at-home test<\/a>, and consider preserving your sperm at its peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get started<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 1. Cao et al, \u201cThe effect of healthy dietary patterns on male semen quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.\u201d 2022.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2. Ismail et al, \u201cComparison on the Effects and Safety of Tualang Honey and Tribestan in Sperm Parameters, Erectile Function, and Hormonal Profiles among Oligospermic Males.\u201d 2014.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3. J\u00f3\u017ak\u00f3w et al, \u201cThe Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality.\u201d 2017.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 4. Seery et al, \u201cA metered intake of milk following exercise and thermal dehydration restores whole-body net fluid balance better than a carbohydrate\u2013electrolyte solution or water in healthy young men.\u201d 2016.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 5. Meldgaard et al, \u201cConsumption of Sugar-Sweetened or Artificially Sweetened Beverages and Semen Quality in Young Men: A Cross-Sectional Study.\u201d 2022.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 6. Liu et al, \u201cSleep Deprivation and Late Bedtime Impair Sperm Health Through Increasing Antisperm Antibody Production: A Prospective Study of 981 Healthy Men.\u201d 2017.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lifestyle, including diet, sleep, and exercise, can significantly impact sperm health. Let\u2019s take a look at Caeleb Dressel\u2019s daily routine, from his meal schedule to his training, and explore what\u2019s positive (or negative) for sperm health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":42994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Is Caeleb Dressel's training routine good for sperm?","_seopress_titles_desc":"Let\u2019s take a look at Caeleb Dressel\u2019s daily routine, from his meal schedule to his training, and explore what\u2019s positive (or negative) for sperm health.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,134,54],"tags":[169,450,74,145,53,78,449,241,451,448],"class_list":["post-42989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-improving-sperm-health","category-lifestyle","category-nutrition-supplements","tag-athlete","tag-athletics","tag-diet","tag-exercise","tag-lifestyle","tag-nutrition","tag-professional-athlete","tag-sleep","tag-sports","tag-swimming"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42989"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42989"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42997,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42989\/revisions\/42997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- 2. Ismail et al, \u201cComparison on the Effects and Safety of Tualang Honey and Tribestan in Sperm Parameters, Erectile Function, and Hormonal Profiles among Oligospermic Males.\u201d 2014.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1. Cao et al, \u201cThe effect of healthy dietary patterns on male semen quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.\u201d 2022.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n