Men's Health, Diet & Fertility | Health Podcast

Study On Sperm and Junk Food

A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health found that when men eat fatty, unhealthy food, their sperm lose the ability to move vigorously enough to make the journey all the way up the ovarian tube. A related study found that eating trans fats reduces sperm count. Added together, these facts seem to indicate that a junk food diet may lead men to male infertility. The first group included those who enjoyed "Western diets," rich in red meats, sweets, refined carbohydrates, and soft drinks. The other group followed the aptly named "Prudent" diet, which looks a lot like the Mediterranean diet with an emphasis on fish, fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Then, all the subjects submitted semen samples. The researchers analyzed the samples for concentration of sperm, shape of sperm, and the ability to move. While diet had no effect on either shape or concentration of sperm, it sure did impact the ability of the sperm to move toward an egg. The men with healthier diets had sperm that outpaced the sluggards by 11 percent!   Listen to this podcast to find out more.

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