Fatty Food Subverts Semen
As if we needed another reason to cut down on the fatty food in our lives. Well, new research has suggested that men may save their swimmers by avoiding high amounts of saturated fat. The online medical journal, Human Reproduction, has suggested that new information has emerged linking a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats with healthier semen.
99 men were followed over the course of 4 years and their diet was tracked along with their sperm count. It was discovered that the men that consumed high fat diets had 43 percent lower total sperm count and 38 percent lower sperm concentration than men that ate less fat or mostly unsaturated fat. As such, the researchers have concluded that benefits of low-fat diets extend beyond simply heart health.
For decades, we have been hearing how diets low in fat help improve our cardiovascular health and can help us live longer. Now, research shows benefits extend beyond our heart and can help men improve sperm count and functionality.
This information may be particularly important for couples who are trying to conceive or are having difficulty with conception. Men who have received the news from fertility centers that their sperm count is low or otherwise compromised may find comfort that there is something concrete they can do to reverse the situation. Similar to the way lowering fat in your diet today can cause immediate and long-term changes in heart health, lowing fat in your diet today can also reverse the damage to sperm and ensure that new sperm are healthy upon creation.
As with all research conclusions, researchers are quick to point out that further studies must be done to provide more comprehensive information on the exact role of fat intake and sperm health. Preliminary studies are encouraging, but must be backed up by further research.