What is the Sperm Health Score?
The Sperm Health Score (SHS) is a 0-100 composite metric developed by Load Health that summarizes the results of an at-home sperm test into a single measure of overall sperm health. It combines five WHO-recognised semen parameters — concentration, motility, progressive motility, morphology, and volume — into one daily number.
The score is calculated in the LOAD app from your daily lifestyle data, and becomes more precise when you add results from an at-home sperm test. Unlike a one-off lab report, it gives men a continuous, trackable measure of sperm health that responds to what they do every day.
How is the Sperm Health Score calculated?
The Sperm Health Score models semen quality across five WHO-recognised parameters — concentration, motility, progressive motility, morphology, and volume — using your daily lifestyle inputs such as sleep, exercise, stress, hydration, and body composition. When you add an at-home sperm test, the measured results anchor and recalibrate the score.
Under the hood, a rules-based layer maps each behavioural input against its documented, peer-reviewed relationship with the individual semen parameters, weighted by the strength of the supporting evidence. A machine-learning layer then identifies nonlinear interactions and individual response profiles as your data accumulates, so the score becomes increasingly personalised over time. The full methodology and its supporting research are described on our science page.
What is a good Sperm Health Score?
A higher Sperm Health Score means your combined semen parameters sit further above the WHO reference limits used to assess sperm health; a lower score means one or more parameters are estimated to be closer to, or below, those limits. Because the score is a composite, two men with the same number can get there through different parameter profiles.
The most useful reading is your trend, not a single value. Sperm regenerates on a roughly 70-90 day cycle, so a score that climbs across weeks of consistent sleep, exercise, and other lifestyle improvements is the signal that matters. The score is a wellness metric, not a fertility verdict — it does not diagnose or rule out any condition.
Sperm Health Score vs semen analysis
A semen analysis is a clinical lab test that measures your semen parameters at a single point in time. The Sperm Health Score is a continuous daily estimate of those same parameters, built from your lifestyle data and calibrated by test results. One is a snapshot; the other is a trend line.
Single snapshots are inherently limited: sperm concentration can fluctuate 30% or more between samples taken days apart, which is why the WHO recommends at least two samples before drawing clinical conclusions. The Sperm Health Score contextualises each test result within months of behavioural data, showing whether a number is a blip or part of a trend. The two are complements — a semen analysis remains the clinical standard, and the score does not replace it.
Sperm Health Score FAQs
What does SHS stand for?
SHS stands for Sperm Health Score, the 0-100 composite sperm health metric developed by Load Health. The two terms are interchangeable: SHS is simply the abbreviation used in the LOAD app and in Load Health's published materials.
Is the Sperm Health Score accurate?
The Sperm Health Score is built on WHO semen-analysis reference standards and peer-reviewed research linking lifestyle factors to semen parameters. Lifestyle and wearable data give a strong directional signal, and adding at-home sperm test results makes the score materially more precise. It is an indicative wellness metric, not a clinical diagnosis.
How often should I retest?
Sperm regenerates on a roughly 70-90 day cycle, so meaningful changes show up over about three months. Retesting every 2-3 months is enough to recalibrate your Sperm Health Score against real measurements while giving lifestyle changes time to appear in your results.
Do I need a sperm test to get a Sperm Health Score?
No. You get a Sperm Health Score from day one based on your lifestyle data, including sleep, exercise, stress, and hydration. An at-home sperm test is optional and sharpens the score by anchoring it to measured semen parameters.
Is the Sperm Health Score a medical diagnosis?
No. The Sperm Health Score is an indicative wellness metric, not a clinical diagnosis or fertility assessment. It does not confirm or deny your ability to conceive. If you have medical concerns about your fertility or reproductive health, consult a qualified healthcare professional.