Guys, you’ve heard the standard advice for protecting your swimmers:
Don’t wear tight undies. Keep your laptop far from, well, your lap. Stop
smoking ASAP. But there may be an even easier way to shield your sperm —
watch what you eat. “We’ve noticed that fertility has been decreasing
over the past several decades. And guys want advice to improve upon
matters,” said Dr. Ryan Terlecki, director of the Men’s Health Clinic
for the Wake Forest University Department of Urology. “Most guys have
never even heard that anything in their diet could impact sperm count.”
But the truth is, an emerging body of research suggests that the
foods you pile on your plate may play a role in the number of sperm you
have (count), whether they’re normally shaped (morphology), and how well
they move (motility).
How that does that play out in the bedroom? “Sperm count is, of
course, important, because if it’s not there, you’re not going to
[biologically] father a kid,” said Dr. Paul Turek, president of the
Society for Male Reproduction and Urology. “And I think sperm motility
is more important than sperm count.” Although morphology is less firmly
linked to fertility, it has been shown in a number of studies to
influence reproductive success, said Audrey Gaskins, who researches
nutrition and fertility at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Although the research is still new, one thing is clear: The foods
that may pose a threat to male fertility are many of the same dietary
culprits behind things such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. That
means you’d be smart to avoid them, regardless of whether you plan to
make a baby any time soon.The following foods might get in the way of
fatherhood:
1. Processed meats
Sure, meat is considered the ultimate man food — but if you eat the
wrong kind, your sperm could be compromised. In a 2014 Harvard study,
men who consumed the most processed meat — hamburgers, hot dogs, salami,
bologna, bacon — had 23 percent fewer normal sperm than guys who ate it
sparingly. In another 2014 study, published in the
journal Epidemiology, the same researchers found that eating processed
meat was associated with lower sperm count.
Interestingly, saturated fat intake — which has previously been
blamed for poor sperm quality — wasn’t the nutritional connection. “We
didn’t find a link with unprocessed red meat, so it seems to be
something that happens in the processing that is detrimental to sperm
quality,” Gaskins told Yahoo Health.
One possibility: Processed meats tend to house more hormonal residues
than other meats, which could have potential reproductive consequences.
“In the U.S., we allow more hormones to be administered to our cattle
[than in the European Union],” she said. “So this is definitely one
possible mechanism.”
Eat this instead:
Want to boost your
swimmers? Look to the sea: The same Harvard scientists found that men
who eat lots of fish have, on average, a 51 percent higher sperm count
than those who barely eat any. This link was strongest for dark meat
fish, like salmon or tuna, although white meat fish, such as cod and
halibut, had a positive effect, too.
“Dark meat fish have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids,” which
have been previously shown to boost healthy sperm, said Gaskins. The
extra dose of vitamin D in dark-meat fish may also be a factor.
2. Full-fat dairy
Whole milk may leave you with a fraction of the healthy sperm you
should have. Young guys who eat at least two servings of full-fat dairy —
especially cheese and whole milk — per day tend to have fewer motile
sperm, according to a 2013 study in Human Reproduction. Don’t blame the
cows, though: Pesticides and other chemical contaminants in the
environment, which are attracted to the fat in dairy, may be what leads
to subpar sperm, the scientists say.
Eat this instead:
You don’t have to ditch dairy altogether.
Just switch your focus to the low-fat kind: Men who consume a couple
servings of low-fat dairy — especially 1% or 2% milk — per day have 33
percent higher sperm counts and more motile sperm than those who eat
little or no low-fat dairy, a 2014 study in Fertility and
Sterility found.
One explanation: Low-fat milk may boost levels of insulin growth
factor-1, a hormone thought to aid the cells that help produce sperm,
the scientists say. “It’s not always the sperm themselves [that are
affected],” said Terlecki. “Sometimes, it’s the supporting cells — those
that create testosterone to nurture sperm development, and cells that
guide the sperm toward maturation. We see those cells affected a lot, in
terms of compounds that come from the diet.”
3. Non-organic produce
That fresh spinach may come with a side of pesticides — and your
sperm could be the first casualty: In a study presented at the
2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Annual Meeting, which
took place this week, men who consumed the most pesticide residues
through produce had 64 percent fewer normal sperm and 70 percent fewer
motile sperm than guys who took in the least.
Pesticides may throw your hormonal balance out of whack, which can
interfere with your body’s production of sperm, said Gaskins. “We’re
concerned about low chronic exposure, day after day at a low dose,” she
said. “Our body slowly becomes unable to deal with these low-level
impacts over time. This slowly leads to destruction.”
Eat this instead:
We’d never suggest you eliminate produce
from your diet — but you may want to consider shelling out the cash for
organic fruits and vegetables, especially when it comes to these
pesticide-laden picks: apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches,
spinach, sweet bell peppers, nectarines (imported), cucumbers, and
cherry tomatoes. A 2014 Evironnmental Working Group study showed that
these 10 fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide load.
4. Alcohol
You booze, you lose — sperm, that is. Drinking alcohol may have a
negative impact on sperm concentration and motility, according to a 2012
Brazilian study of men seeking fertility treatments. Why? Downing
copious amounts of alcohol may lead to total-body oxidative stress,
which is a key cause of male infertility, the researchers say. But one
drink probably isn’t a problem: “In moderation, alcohol intake seems to
have no effect on semen quality,” Gaskins said. However, as a new Danish
study found, modest but habitual alcohol intake — slightly less than a
bottle of wine per week — may compromise sperm quality.
Drink this instead:
An occasional beer probably won’t do
your body any harm, but if you’re constantly sipping on something
(besides water), make it pomegranate juice. In a Turkish study, male
rats given pomegranate juice on a daily basis experienced a boost in
sperm count and motility. The purple juice is a rich source of
antioxidants, like vitamin C, and although this was an animal
study, past research has linked a high intake of antioxidants in men to
better semen quality. “Men who eat a healthier diet with higher
antioxidants — particularly from natural foods, as opposed to
supplements — tend to have higher motility,” noted Gaskins.
5. Soda
Here’s yet another reason to kick the can: In a new study of 189
healthy young men, published in Human Reproduction, regularly drinking
sugar-sweetened drinks — slightly more than a serving per day — was
linked to poorer sperm motility. (Interestingly, this connection was
strongest among lean men.) Sipping on sugary beverages — soda, sports
drinks, sweet tea — boosts your odds of insulin resistance, which in
turn leads to oxidative stress than can damage your sperm, the
scientists say.
Eat this instead
: If you need a
shot of sugar, make it the kind found in fruit — not soda. In the
Brazilian study, fruit was positively related to sperm quality,
although, keep in mind, you should go organic whenever possible (or give
your fruit a good scrubbing before eating it).
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has reinstated Professor Julius Ihonvbere as the Secretary to the State Government.
The
Sokoto State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has picked the
state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, as the running mate
to its governorship candidate, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal.
The
All Progressives Congress, APC, Vice-Presidential candidate for the
2015 presidential election, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said that one of
the fundamental problems confronting the country is the inability of
President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government to tackle corruption.
The
All progressives Congress, APC, has appointed Governor Rotimi Amaechi
of Rivers state, the Director General of its presidential campaign
organization.
