He’s on track to become the world’s fastest man, representing the US in the 100 and 200 meter events. But if you want peak sperm health, should your day follow in his footsteps? Let’s take a look at how Noah Lyles’ daily routine and lifestyle choices — from his diet to his workout — could impact fertility.
Key takeaways
- Lyles keeps red meat to a minimum. Multiple studies have associated a diet low in red meat with better sperm health.
- The number of hours — up to 5 a day — that Noah Lyles trains is in the danger zone for sperm health, research says.
- Lyles’ nighttime snack has the equivalent of three teaspoons of sugar per serving. Studies show eating added sugar may be toxic to sperm.
Noah Lyles’ diet
Lyles preps meals in advance, with a chef’s help. Lean protein is on every menu: mostly chicken and turkey, not much beef.
✅ Good for sperm. Firstly, Lyles is meal prepping. Meal prepping is associated with healthy weight and lower stress, two factors also correlated to better sperm.1
Plus, his diet choices are fertility-friendly — poultry is superior to red meat when it comes to sperm health. Multiple studies have found that red meat consumption is correlated with lower sperm concentration, total count, and motility.2
Processed red meat is especially detrimental; Harvard research found that men who ate fewer than 1.5 servings of processed meat weekly had a 28% better chance of achieving pregnancy than men who ate the most processed meats.3
Noah Lyles’ weight workout
Every day is leg day. Noah Lyles’ weight workout includes time on the glute/ham machine, squats, leg presses, and single-leg deadlifts, he told Men’s Health.
🆗 Mostly good for sperm. Research shows leg exercises may increase testosterone, which is essential for sperm production and sex drive.6 Additionally, Legacy-funded research from 2023 concluded that men who frequently lifted heavy objects at work had 46% higher sperm concentrations compared to men with jobs that don’t involve heavy lifting, suggesting that some weightlifting exercise could be beneficial for sperm.
But don’t overdo it. Other research has found that intense weightlifting — along with long-distance running and other intense exercise — can raise stress hormones and harm fertility.7
Noah Lyles’ training routine
Lyles will do sprinting and explosivity drills for up to 5 hours per day. To increase his quickness and strengthen his core, he also does bodyweight exercises including planks, glute bridges, reverse lunges, drop squats, and box blasts.
❗Not the best for sperm. Doing over 1.5 hours of vigorous cardiovascular activity per day can decrease sperm production, experts say.4 Moderate-intensity exercise is associated with better sperm quality than any other type of exercise (or no exercise).5
Noah Lyles’ favorite nighttime snack
Lyles “can’t live without” Raisin Bran Crunch, he told GQ after the Tokyo Olympics. “A necessity of all necessities,” he said. To deal with the restrictions on sugar placed by his trainers, the athlete satisfied his cravings with Raisin Bran. “Everybody makes fun of me, because they’re like, ‘This is an old people’s cereal,’” he said. “I say, ‘But have you tried it?’”
❌ Bad for sperm. This processed food isn’t as healthy as advertised. Just one cup contains 13 grams of added sugar — about three full teaspoons, one-third of the max experts say you should consume each day. (And consider: Who among us eats just one cup of cereal?)
Sugar is harmful to sperm.8 Research has shown that sperm motility, or the sperm’s ability to move or “swim,” is decreased in men whose diets are high in added sugars. Unfortunately for Noah Lyles’ sweet tooth, oats are a better option.
Learn more about sugar and sperm quality.
Noah Lyles’ stress relief
To wind down and soothe his taxed muscles and joints, Lyles will regularly soak in a hot tub. He also gets weekly massages.
✅ Stress relief? Good for sperm. Warm baths and massages can reduce stress levels, and those with less chronic stress tend to have better sperm than those who are more stressed out.9
❌ Hot tub soaks? Not so much. Hot tubs — and anything that raises testicular temps, such as saunas, tight underwear, and biking — are associated with lower sperm counts. The testes like to be cool, and they produce sperm optimally at around 93.2ºF (even lower than body temp).
A 2016 study found that warming the testicles by taking a hot bath for 30 minutes impaired sperm production and caused sperm cell death and damage to the DNA carried by sperm.10
Data from Legacy’s 2023 Sperm Report.
How does your sperm measure up?
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 “healthy” — see above — can actually lower your sperm quality. What’s more: For many men, making simple lifestyle changes can improve sperm quality within weeks.
See where you stand with a Legacy at-home test, and consider preserving your sperm at its peak.
References
4. Belladelli et al. “Male Fertility and Physical Exercise.” 2023.
5. Jóźków et al, “The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality.” 2017.
7. Jóźków et al, “The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality.” 2017.
8. Efrat et al, “Sugar Consumption Is Negatively Associated with Semen Quality.” 2022.
9. Nordkap et al, “Psychological stress and testicular function: a cross-sectional study of 1,215 Danish men.” 2016.10. Rao et al.
