With nuts against the sperm crisis

Diet

Western men have less and less sperm. A nutritious diet could at least increase the quality of sperm, according to a study

BARCELONA. Nuts could improve sperm quality. This is indicated by an unpublished study, the results of which were presented at the annual conference of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Spanish researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus gave 60 grams of nuts a day to a test group for two weeks, which they consumed in addition to their normal diet.

Compared to the control group, the researchers found an improvement in sperm quality in the intervention group – looking at the WHO parameters for the quality of male germ cells. In detail:

»Sperm count increased by 14%,

» Sperm vitality by 4%,

»Mobility by 6%

» and sperm by 1% [19459045Theresultsmaybelinkedtoincreasedconsumptionofantioxidantsomega-3fattyacidsandfolicacid"Thereisgrowingevidencethatahealthydietcouldbehelpfulforconception"studydirectorDrAlbertSalas-HuetosquotedbytheBBC

Unclear conclusions after the first results

We still do not know if nuts could help couples to conceive. Dr. Virginia Bolton of the London Guy's Hospital has qualified the results of "academically interesting" at the BBC, but a practical application is completely open.

Restrictive, the study authors also note that only 119 healthy young men participated in the study.

MedicalNewsToday also notes that the study was funded by the International Nut and Dried Food Council, and thus the effect of other foods other than nuts have not been examined.

An Israeli study drew the attention of the media last year: since 1973, male sperm has decreased by more than half in Western countries. However, sperm quality has not been badyzed. (ajo)

More messages about this