Zinc might help sperm health, but it doesn’t magically boost testosterone or fix all fertility issues.

Some research shows zinc can improve sperm shape and movement, especially in men with diabetes, and even helps testosterone rise after intense exercise — which hints at a connection to sperm production. But other studies found no change in testosterone levels at all, and one even found that zinc plus folic acid made sperm DNA more damaged instead of better. So while zinc clearly has some role in male reproductive health, it’s not a universal fix, and its effects depend a lot on who’s taking it and what else they’re taking.