Dads, Want Athletic Kids? Start Exercising Before They’re Born
Dads, your pre-baby workouts might be the best gift you ever give your kids.
A new study published in Cell Metabolism found that when male mice exercised before mating, their offspring were more athletic in adulthood.
They had greater endurance, stronger energy-producing mitochondria, and a healthier metabolism than the offspring of dads that weren’t active.
Here’s the wild part: the benefits were traced back to exercise-induced changes in the fathers’ sperm.
Exercise activated a key protein called PGC-1α, which then reshaped the sperm’s microRNAs - tiny messengers that captured the dad’s workouts as biological signals and passed them on to the next generation.
When those sperm fertilized an egg, the altered microRNAs told the embryo to build more efficient mitochondria from day one.
Seven of these microRNAs are also found in humans, and they’re higher in the sperm of trained men, suggesting there’s a good chance the same mechanism applies to people.
It’s early science, but the takeaway is clear: a father’s workouts could shape his child’s future metabolism.
Why This Matters
We coach a lot of moms on how to improve their fertility, pregnancy, and the health of their baby through nutrition, movement, supplementation, and lifestyle factors.
But dads matter too.
Sperm take roughly
~74 days to develop, which means you should take exercising seriously for a minimum of
3 months before conception.
What the Study Showed
Trained fathers → fitter kids
Male mice that ran for 8 weeks had offspring with better endurance, strength, and metabolic health in adulthood.
This was true even when the kids themselves weren’t active.
Proof it’s the sperm
Scientists proved the microRNAs in sperm cause the benefits.
When scientists injected microRNAs from exercised dads’ sperm into normal fertilized eggs, the offspring had the same fitness improvements.
When they blocked these microRNAs, the benefits disappeared.
This showed that the microRNAs are the key messengers passing the exercise benefits to the next generation.
Human Parallels
While this study was conducted in mice, many physiological and genetic processes are the same in humans.
Of the exercise-responsive microRNAs, 7 are found in humans and were elevated in the sperm of trained men (vs. untrained), suggesting the mechanism could operate in people.
Practical takeaways for dads-to-be
Timeline:
Start at least 3 months before trying to conceive to account for the ~74-day sperm development cycle.
This gives your training time to influence sperm microRNA.
Training mix:
Include endurance/aerobic exercise (the exercise type in this study) and add 3-4 days/week of resistance training for higher testosterone levels, better cardio-metabolic health, and improved fertility.
Lifestyle stack:
Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep, limit alcohol, avoid nicotine, and reduce heat exposure to the testes (think saunas and hot tubs).
Eat a nutrient-dense diet rich in protein, omega-3s, polyphenols, and nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin A, Vitamin E, vitamin D, selenium, L-carnitine, l-arginine, and CoQ10.
These habits are all linked to better sperm quality in broader research, even if not part of this specific study.
Testing:
Get bloodwork to check your hormones, inflammation, cardiometabolic markers, nutrient levels, and more.
Foundational changes go a long way—but avoid blindly supplementing nutrients like zinc without knowing your baseline, since excess can throw other minerals (like copper) off balance.
Bottom Line
If you’re planning a pregnancy, dad’s workouts count.
We already ask moms to prepare metabolically - it’s time to bring fathers into the preconception conversation.
We’re living in a time when metabolic disease has become the norm, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
Exercise might be one of the simplest, most powerful tools a dad has to change his family’s health trajectory for generations.
That’s what real legacy looks like.
Personalized Guidance
If you’re ready for more personalized guidance, our virtual functional medicine practice is currently accepting new clients.
We’d love to help you build a plan that’s tailored to your body, your goals, and your journey.
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Learn more about our Wellness Blueprint
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Book a 20-minute discovery call to find out if it’s a good fit
📍 Plate & Canvas is based in Austin, TX, and 100% virtual — supporting holistic health nationwide.
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