10/24/2014 5 Foods That May Hurt Male Fertility

https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-foods-that-may-hurt-male-fertility-100745534687.html 1/5

5 FoodsThatMayHurtMaleFertility

Laura TedescoOctober 23,2014

New research suggests a poor diet can wreak havocon more than a man’s pants size. (Photo by GettyImages)

Guys, you’ve heard the standard advice for protecting yourswimmers: Don’t wear tight undies. Keep your laptop farfrom, well, your lap. Stop smoking ASAP. But there may bean even easier way to shield your sperm — watch what youeat. “We’ve noticed that fertility has been decreasing over thepast several decades. And guys want advice to improve uponmatters,” said Dr. Ryan Terlecki, director of the Men’s HealthClinic for the Wake Forest University Department of Urology.“Most guys have never even heard that anything in their dietcould impact sperm count.”

But the truth is, an emerging body of research suggests thatthe foods you pile on your plate may play a role in thenumber of sperm you have (count), whether they’re normallyshaped (morphology), and how well they move (motility).

Related: 6 Ways to Boost Your Odds of IVF Success

How that does that play out in the bedroom? “Sperm countis, of course, important, because if it’s not there, you’re notgoing to [biologically] father a kid,” said Dr. Paul Turek,president of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology.

STUDIESSeniors,Rejoice:DrinkingAlcohol MayPreserve YourMemoryLAURA TEDESCO

NUTRITIONYour Brain IsWired toFavor JunkFood — 4Ways toOverride ItLAURA TEDESCO

NUTRITION6 Decadent(But Healthy!)Chia SeedDessertRecipesCHARLOTTE'S BOOK

MIND5 Ways toLower YourRisk forAlzheimer'sDiseaseAMY RUSHLOW

10/24/2014 5 Foods That May Hurt Male Fertility

https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-foods-that-may-hurt-male-fertility-100745534687.html 2/5

“And I think sperm motility is more important than spermcount.” Although morphology is less firmly linked to fertility,it has been shown in a number of studies to influencereproductive success, said Audrey Gaskins, who researchesnutrition and fertility at the Harvard School of PublicHealth.

Although the research is still new, one thing is clear: Thefoods that may pose a threat to male fertility are many of thesame dietary culprits behind things such as Type 2 Diabetesand heart disease. That means you’d be smart to avoid them,regardless of whether you plan to make a baby any timesoon.The following foods might get in the way of fatherhood:

Processed meats

Sure, meat is considered the ultimate man food — but if youeat the wrong kind, your sperm could be compromised. Ina 2014 Harvard study, men who consumed the mostprocessed meat — hamburgers, hot dogs, salami, bologna,bacon — had 23 percent fewer normal sperm than guys whoate it sparingly. In another 2014 study, published in thejournal Epidemiology, the same researchers found that eatingprocessed meat was associated with lower sperm count.

Interestingly, saturated fat intake — which has previouslybeen blamed for poor sperm quality — wasn’t the nutritionalconnection. “We didn’t find a link with unprocessed redmeat, so it seems to be something that happens in theprocessing that is detrimental to sperm quality,” Gaskins toldYahoo Health.

One possibility: Processed meats tend to house morehormonal residues than other meats, which could havepotential reproductive consequences. “In the U.S., we allowmore hormones to be administered to our cattle [than in theEuropean Union],” she said. “So this is definitely onepossible mechanism.”

Eat this instead: Want to boost your swimmers? Look tothe sea: The same Harvard scientists found that men who eatlots of fish have, on average, a 51 percent higher sperm countthan those who barely eat any. This link was strongest fordark 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 fishmay also be a factor.

Full-fat dairy

Whole milk may leave you with a fraction of the healthysperm you should have. Young guys who eat at least twoservings of full-fat dairy — especially cheese and whole milk

10/24/2014 5 Foods That May Hurt Male Fertility

https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-foods-that-may-hurt-male-fertility-100745534687.html 3/5

— per day tend to have fewer motile sperm, according to a2013 study in Human Reproduction. Don’t blame the cows,though: Pesticides and other chemical contaminants in theenvironment, which are attracted to the fat in dairy, may bewhat 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 consumea couple servings of low-fat dairy — especially 1% or 2% milk— per day have 33 percent higher sperm counts and moremotile sperm than those who eat little or no low-fat dairy, a2014 study in Fertility and Sterility found.

One explanation: Low-fat milk may boost levels of insulingrowth factor-1, a hormone thought to aid the cells that helpproduce sperm, the scientists say. “It’s not always the spermthemselves [that are affected],” said Terlecki. “Sometimes,it’s the supporting cells — those that create testosterone tonurture sperm development, and cells that guide the spermtoward maturation. We see those cells affected a lot, in termsof compounds that come from the diet.”

Related: Sex Hormones May Be Lurking In Your Food

Non-organic produce

That fresh spinach may come with a side of pesticides — andyour sperm could be the first casualty: In a study presentedat the 2014 American Society for Reproductive MedicineAnnual Meeting, which took place this week, men whoconsumed the most pesticide residues through produce had64 percent fewer normal sperm and 70 percent fewer motilesperm 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 slowlybecomes unable to deal with these low-level impacts overtime. This slowly leads to destruction.”

Eat this instead: We’d never suggest you eliminateproduce from your diet — but you may want to considershelling out the cash for organic fruits and vegetables,especially when it comes to these pesticide-laden picks:apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, sweetbell peppers, nectarines (imported), cucumbers, and cherrytomatoes. A 2014 Environmental Working Groupstudy showed that these 10 fruits and vegetables have thehighest pesticide load.

Alcohol

You booze, you lose — sperm, that is. Drinking alcohol mayhave a negative impact on sperm concentration and motility,according to a 2012 Brazilian study of men seeking fertility

10/24/2014 5 Foods That May Hurt Male Fertility

https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-foods-that-may-hurt-male-fertility-100745534687.html 4/5

View comments (243)

treatments. Why? Downing copious amounts of alcohol maylead to total-body oxidative stress, which is a key cause ofmale infertility, the researchers say. But one drink probablyisn’t a problem: “In moderation, alcohol intake seems to haveno effect on semen quality,” Gaskins said. However, as a newDanish study found, modest but habitual alcohol intake —slightly less than a bottle of wine per week — maycompromise sperm quality.

Drink this instead: An occasional beer probably won’t doyour body any harm, but if you’re constantly sipping onsomething (besides water), make it pomegranate juice. Ina Turkish study, male rats given pomegranate juice on a dailybasis experienced a boost in sperm count and motility. Thepurple juice is a rich source of antioxidants, like vitamin C,and although this was an animal study, past research haslinked a high intake of antioxidants in men to better semenquality. “Men who eat a healthier diet with higherantioxidants — particularly from natural foods, as opposed tosupplements — tend to have higher motility,” noted Gaskins.

Soda

Here’s yet another reason to kick the can: In a new study of189 healthy young men, published in Human Reproduction,regularly drinking sugar-sweetened drinks — slightly morethan a serving per day — was linked to poorer sperm motility.(Interestingly, this connection was strongest among leanmen.) Sipping on sugary beverages — soda, sports drinks,sweet tea — boosts your odds of insulin resistance, which inturn leads to oxidative stress than can damage your sperm,the scientists say.

Eat this instead: If you need a shot of sugar, make it thekind found in fruit — not soda. In the Brazilian study, fruitwas positively related to sperm quality, although, keep inmind, you should go organic whenever possible (or give yourfruit a good scrubbing before eating it).

STUDIES

Seniors, Rejoice:Drinking Alcohol…May Preserve YourMemoryLaura Tedesco

COLD & FLU

3 Flu Vaccine Myths —Busted!Amy Rushlow

MIND

The One Thing Americans Fear the MostRyan Wallace

Pz|

HEALTH HOMEFITNESSNUTRITIONMINDNEWSSEARCH

CONDITIONSSEXUAL HEALTHEBOLACOLD & FLUMORE

SUBSCRIBE FOLLOW US

HEALTH HOME

FITNESS

NUTRITION

MIND

NEWS

SEARCH CONDITIONS

SEXUAL HEALTH

MORE

SUBSCRIBE FOLLOW US

Search � Sign In ✉ Mail ⚙

⌂ Home Mail News Sports Finance Weather Games Groups Answers Screen Flickr Mobile More⋁

10/24/2014 5 Foods That May Hurt Male Fertility

https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-foods-that-may-hurt-male-fertility-100745534687.html 5/5

NUTRITION

6 Decadent (But Healthy!) Chia Seed DessertRecipesCharlotte's Book

MIND

5 Ways to Lower Your Risk forAlzheimer's DiseaseAmy Rushlow

HEALTH

Long Considered a Threat, Viagra MayHelp Treat Heart DiseaseRyan Wallace

NEWS

Cell Transplant Helps Paralyzed Man WalkWith FrameReuters

NUTRITION

In Defenseof FastWeight LossAmy Rushlow

HEALTH

How Your Body Signals That You're Vitamin DeficientQ by Equinox

P z

MIND

Cheerful? Depressed? The Season in WhichYou Were Born Might Hold The KeyLaura Tedesco

P z

CHILDREN

MedicationMistakes Common…Among YoungChildrenReuters

NUTRITION

Pumpkin Is Scary-Good for You! How to Tap ItsSuperpowersMorgan Korn