“After being diagnosed with infertility, I had to make two major lifestyle changes to save my sperm,” reveals Russell Kane
RUSSELL Kane has revealed he swore to a relaxing hot tub session after a stand-up show to help relieve the stress.
But after discovering he was functionally infertile while filming new Channel 4 show Celebrity Save Our Sperm, he went without most hot and sweaty things – including his signature skinny jeans.
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The father-of-one, who is desperate to have a second child with his wife Lindsey, joined Melvin Odoom and Ollie Locke on the Channel 4 show on men’s reproductive health.
During filming, 47-year-old Russell was told by experts his sperm count was a low 11 million compared to the national average of 40 to 60 million, with his co-stars both in that range.
The father of one child was shocked when he made lifestyle changes to improve his fertility and become fertile again in just 10 weeks.
Russell says, “I actually wanted to laugh to do something for TV, but I was really surprised.
“The readings came in and it’s not what I expected.
“When I got my result, it wasn’t an intellectual feeling, it was an emotional one – like that queasy feeling in my stomach.
“What does it matter if I have 11 million sperm per liter and already have a family? It’s important because I’m a man and I’m interested in how men’s bodies work.”
“As men, I believe that when our bodies aren’t what they’re supposed to be, we’re more prone to depression and low spirits – [and after the result] I sensed something unreasonable.”
“There is an emotional connection between me and my sperm count and I never hear anyone talk about it. Never.”
It was the result that prompted Russell to halt his trips to the spa – and do his best to swap out his sweaty skinny jeans on stage.
He also reduced his coffee consumption, started using cups instead of plastic ones, and stopped using oils that stimulate hair growth after doctors found they had a negative effect on his swimmers.
expert dr Anand Patel explains: “The sperm count has dropped from 100 million to 40 to 50 million per millimeter.
“There’s a reason the testicles hang long. A few degrees above body heat can seriously damage sperm. This destroys the DNA, stops them from swimming and makes them abnormal.”
“Men trying to conceive should avoid hot baths, hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms — even sitting still for too long, exercising with multiple gym bags — and squeezing their testicles in tight jeans.
“Russell literally boiled his balls. Remember, chill your boys, balls.”
Elsewhere, Melvin nearly triples his sperm count by skipping sugary snacks and keeping his jewelry cool with a tiny ice pack while working in Radio 1’s studio.
“Most of my friends are settled with kids and I just don’t want to be like the old dad on the crew. “There’s someone in my life – a special woman who wants to give me children, and that’s my mother,” he jokes.
“She calls me every week and asks about grandchildren.
“‘Did I give up on things too late,’ that’s definitely a question that comes to mind.”
“If I went in there and found out it was going to be a tough job, I would be really upset. It was only today that I realized how much that meant to me.”
While Ollie, who recently announced he is expecting twins as a surrogate with husband Gareth, has avoided alcohol, junk food and cigarettes to improve the functionality of his sperm.
The Made In Chelsea star was told that while his sperm count was normal, the DNA functionality of his sperm was only around a third.
This meant that while pregnancy could occur, damaged DNA would likely result in a miscarriage, which he and Gareth experienced twice.
“[Talking about sperm] “It’s weird not to laugh and joke, but it’s actually something that’s very serious,” he explains.
“All our lives we’ve been told about female fertility, it’s like women are always to blame when things go wrong. Now we understand that a little better, it’s a one-way street.”
Celebrity Save Our Sperm airs tomorrow night at 10pm on Channel 4.
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