Down for the count

Your takeout addiction

“Sperm is losing its quality based on what we’re eating,” says Midtown East urologist Dr. David Shusterman, noting that genetically modified and hormone-laden meats — including farmed fish — are problematic.

“The optimum thing to do would be to go vegetarian, but that’s not feasible for everyone,” he says, suggesting that anyone sticking with meat should look for grass-fed beef and organic chicken.

“Diets high in fat and cholesterol lead to men being fatter — and that leads to decreased sperm counts,” says urologist and fertility specialist Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt.

Your vanity

“The hot topic in the male reproductive community right now is the role of phthalates, which are mainly used as plasticizers [substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility] in stuff like hair gel,” says Dr. Brian Levine, reproductive endocrinologist at CCRM New York. “We know with near certainty that these phthalates interfere with the endocrine system in rats, monkeys and, of course, humans. We are using many more phthalates now than we used to.”

Some phthalates that are still used in the US are currently banned in Europe.

Your muscle mania

Extra testosterone production might sound like a positive thing for improving your sperm count, but that’s not always the case.

Dr. Cappy Rothman, co-founder of leading US sperm bank California Cryobank, says testosterone supplements and performance enhancers will diminish sperm counts. “Anabolic steroids interfere with the hormone signals that are needed to produce sperm,” says Rothman. “If a man takes [them] for an extended length of time, he’ll wind up with no sperm.”

Your stressful job

“Men who feel stressed are more likely to have lower concentrations of sperm in their ejaculate, and the sperm they have are more likely to be misshapen or have impaired motility,” writes Pam FactorLitvak, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, in a 2014 study. “These deficits could be associated with fertility problems.”

A hellish commute may also be related to declining sperm counts. “In a big city, traffic can cause stress,” says Brahmbhatt. “New Yorkers are stressed out — that’s why I live in Orlando!”

Your Netflix binges

Lying on your couch watching back-to-back episodes of “Game of Thrones” won’t do you any favors in the babymaking game.

“If you’re not getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week, sperm counts will decline,” says Dr. Brahmbhatt, the urologist.

According to a March 2012 study, obesity is one of the key culprits of low sperm production.

Your skinny jeans

The heat generated by wearing confining pants and undies, which hold the scrotum close to the body, can kill sperm.

According to professor Allan Pacey, who specializes in fertility at the University of Sheffield in the UK, a recent study of 2,500 British men found that wearing tight underwear was the “single biggest risk” factor for fertility, even more so than smoking or alcohol consumption.

Your spin-class obsession

“Exercise is a good way to boost fertility but extreme exercise is not,” says Levine. “When you are starving the body or you’re in survival mode, sperm production is going to be hampered.”

Spinning can be especially ruinous. “You are on a bicycle seat and you are compressing the testicles,” Levine says.

The temperature generated during tough workouts (or workouts in a crowded, heated studio) could also “affect sperm production,” says Levine.