Written by Jessica Hobbis. Reviewed by Jenny Wordsworth.

With the 19th of November marking International Men’s Day, OVUM was incredibly proud to host an Instagram Live with our partner and one of the UK’s leading fertility nutritionists, Melanie Brown. For those who would like to watch this in full, please head over to our Instagram here, but for those who prefer a written summary of some of our takeaways, then keep scrolling!

Male fertility conversations

What is absolutely central to improving male fertility is including men in the conversation at every single part of the journey. Melanie pointed out throughout the Q&A that so often she sees lifestyle advice and the emotional burden of pregnancy being borne almost entirely by women. However, sperm constitutes one half of the equation and one half of the child in the end! 

Sperm health is also something that can be influenced, particularly during the 90-day window it takes for sperm to be created, so there really is no excuse for men not to get involved. This can be through taking appropriate measures to optimise their sperm health and therefore improve their chances of both conception and having a healthy child. 

Nutritional Insights 

Melanie discussed a range of different influences on male fertility that could make a real difference. These are often small changes, and no one is perfect or has the“perfect” routine (if this even exists), but Melanie highlighted that you can see real results when you dedicate time to making at least a few modifications. 

Nutrition emerged as a clear opportunity based on what Melanie sees in her practice with male clients. Many men trying to conceive lack key nutrients involved in sperm production, so curating a diet that aims to get as many of these nutrients in as possible can be transformative for sperm health. Melanie also explained the role of supplements to ‘plug’ these nutritional gaps and ensure optimal nutrient levels are met (as per the latest research). Having co-developed OVUM Time to Conceive® For Men, Melanie discussed the importance of the specific nutrients included in this product, such as CoQ10 for energy production in sperm cells and Lactobacillus rhamnosus for microbiome support. 

Melanie also emphasised that what is outside the capsule also matters. She discussed the importance of avoiding fillers, binders, and preservatives that are often found in other supplements but can be detrimental to general and reproductive health. 

Some further changes mentioned included stopping smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and reducing exposure to pesticides, where you can (it can be as simple as remembering to wash your fruit and veg before cooking!). Melanie pointed out that while organic is best, it can be difficult and expensive to always choose this, so stressed that choosing organic for the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (the list of produce with high pesticide residues) can be a helpful management tool. In comparison, utilising the ‘Clean 15’ list of the produce with the lowest pesticide residues to know where it may not be necessary to choose organic can make this change much more sustainable. 

A topic that is often overlooked but can play a large role is that of male obesity. Melanie has done extensive research in this area in particular, and pointed out that, as well as impacting the sperm, male obesity can increase miscarriage risk as well, yet is often left out of fertility conversations. For more information on this topic, stay tuned for an upcoming blog from Melanie herself! 

The Research Landscape of Male Fertility 

On the whole, male fertility is underresearched, and it is so crucial that more is done to fund and publicise key studies and their results. 

Despite the limitations of research, there is substantial evidence on the effects of specific nutrients on sperm health. Therefore, we find it so disconcerting that these studies are often not discussed or utilised by society, but also by many other fertility brands. This is why Melanie, along with OVUM’s medical team, used over 120 studies in creating OVUM Time to Conceive® For Men. Such conversations really do illuminate the need not only for more research to be done, but for this research to be made accessible to the general public, and for more regulation on the quality of research that goes into products. 

This is well showcased by a recent study presented at ESHRE this year, where doses of antioxidants in a specific supplement were shown to have a negative impact on sperm health.. Again, this is why supplements need to be carefully considered and specifically designed for male fertility and sperm health, rather than generic “multivitamins” that we often see marketed. There is genuine research that should be used, and this highlights how appropriate supplementation should be a part of the journey.

Distinguishing between supplements to identify those backed by robust evidence can be incredibly difficult, and Melanie highlighted this as a key challenge for many of the clients she sees. However, not everyone has the time to keep up to date with all of the latest studies, which is why research should be conducted, published, and communicated effectively to all consumers, not just those who work within the space. 

The Men’s Strategy 2025

International Men’s Day also marked the release of the first Men's Health Strategy for England, which offers a 10-year plan for the health of men and boys across England. This was a fascinating read that mirrored many of the issues and strategies Melanie herself outlined.

The strategy reinforced the need to focus on supporting individuals in making healthier choices, including diet, exercise, weight, and smoking. This feeds into the idea that the reproductive system often directly reflects the overall health of the man. Longevity, disease risk, and overall wellness improve together when changes are made to support reproductive health. Reproductive health can therefore be a strong marker and a way to sustain overall health. 

It is excellent to start to see government policy recognising men’s health and the importance of nutrition and lifestyle in this. We look forward to seeing how this framework plays out in decision-making and healthcare initiatives as we move into 2026. 

Key Takeaways

• Melanie Brown highlights how nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle can make a meaningful impact on male fertility. Such interventions also empower men with a feeling of greater control and agency over their own health, including them within the fertility conversation from the very start. 

• While we have made advances in male fertility, there is still an incredible amount of research that needs to be done to provide better awareness, education and products to better support men in their conception journey. It is also imperative for those within the fertility space to be held accountable for what research we do have, and to ground themselves in science, rather than marketing ploys. 

• The Men’s Strategy 2025 offers a positive opportunity to set a new direction for improving men’s health and to highlight the role that lifestyle can play in this. We shall be keen to see how this develops and reflects in healthcare models!