Few people know that the average man's sperm count has been going down steadily over the past few years. Everyone, especially men, should be scared by this fact. Still, sperm health is the one thing that most men can't change about themselves. What food means for sperm is much further from our common understanding.
So why is sperm becoming less like it used to be? Is this really a problem? Could we ever use it to change the kinds of food we eat? This post answers these questions and suggests foods that are good for sperm.
Is it a problem that the quality of sperm is getting worse?
In fact, it is a problem. A new report says that the average number of sperm has dropped by 59% over the past few years. Given this drop, it's not surprising that the Habitats for Infectious Prevention and Counteraction website says, "In about 35% of couples with infertility, a male factor is found in addition to a female factor." Coupled with the trend of having kids later in life, falling sperm counts mean that some couples will have trouble getting pregnant.
Why aren't there as many sperm as there used to be? Does the way we eat kill sperm?
No one knows why the number of sperm is going down so quickly. A lot of people say that men putting PCs on their laps is killing their sperm. Others say that the intensity is too high because cells are sitting in pockets. Weight is an important factor. The expert in me knows that the drop makes sense for a number of reasons. What we eat is usually the cause of any health problem. Rightly, some studies suggest that eating certain kinds of food might hurt sperm. There are also foods that might help increase the number of sperm.
There are five kinds of food men should avoid because they can hurt sperm health and make men less fertile.
Before I talk about food types that can affect sperm health, it's important to note that most studies on food aren't able to show that eating certain food sources cause illness. Instead, most studies are only able to show connections, not causes.
1. Trans fats
Analysts are mostly worried that trans fats increase the risk of heart disease. The worries don't end there, though. A study done in Spain in 2011 linked the increased use of trans fats with fewer sperm. This post from the American Heart Association has more information about trans fats.
2. Handled meats
This isn't the usual way things work. Recent research has linked handled meats to a wide range of diseases. Handled meats are things like hot dogs, salami, bacon, hamburger jerky, and so on. I get it; they are great. In fact, bacon can improve the taste of almost anything. Some studies have linked eating processed red meat to a drop in the number of sperm and a change in how sperm move. It's not clear what these different kinds of food do to sperm, but it looks like they don't do anything good. Notably, these same studies didn't find any link between eating chicken and having less healthy sperm.
3. Soy products
Phytoestrogens, which come from plants and are like estrogen, are found in soy products. A study of 99 men from Boston's richness facilities found that eating a lot of soy could reduce sperm fixation.
Three male fertility-boosting meals
1. Fish
Fish eating improved sperm motility in one small trial. Other studies were inconclusive. Fish may improve sperm health due to their high omega-3 fatty acid content, but their role is unclear. Fish may help if it replaces red and processed meats.
2. Produce
A fertility clinic study of 250 men found that men who ate more fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and beans (legumes), had higher sperm concentrations and motility. Since plant-based whole meals contain antioxidants like co-enzyme Q10, vitamin C, and lycopene, this is not surprising. Micronutrients boost sperm counts. Co-enzyme q supplements may improve sperm health, but more studies are needed to make a recommendation.
3.walnuts
In a 2012 small study, 117 men aged 21–35 were assigned to eat or not eat 18 walnuts per day for 12 weeks. Pre- and post-study sperm parameters were examined. Only the nut group showed sperm vitality improvements.