Americans love coffee, but we also often worry about it having negative effects on our overall health or fertility. Is there anything to worry about? The TLDR is that we aren’t totally certain about the net impact of caffeine consumption on sperm health because the evidence is mixed. Let’s review the science.
There is some evidence that caffeine may actually be good for male reproductive health. One study from almost 50 years ago showed that exposure of sperm to caffeine promotes better sperm motility. And a study from Brazil reported a positive correlation between caffeine consumption and sperm motility on semen testing. On the flip side, however, other clinical studies have shown that high caffeine consumption can cause impairment of sperm function or quality, and may even be associated with lower success rates of IVF.
So what should you do? The evidence certainly isn’t strong enough to recommend cutting out caffeine from your diet altogether. After all, there is some evidence it may be helpful. The recommendation by most male fertility experts, therefore, is to moderate caffeine consumption to relatively low levels. Pay attention to the caffeine content of your favorite beverages and limit total daily caffeine consumption to less than 200-300 mg of caffeine per day.
The caffeine content in typical beverages:
8 oz cups of brewed coffee: 150 mg
Latte: 150 mg
Cup of tea: 50 mg
Can of caffeinated soda: 75 mg
