Nuts can improve sperm quality

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MD July 4, 2018

A new study has shown that the inclusion of nuts in the daily diet could significantly improve the quality as well as the function human sperm. Nuts are part of the Mediterranean diet which is considered the healthiest diet for the heart, blood vessels and other organs.

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The study titled "Effect of nut consumption on sperm quality and functionality in men in good health: a randomized controlled trial "is presented at the 34th annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Barcelona by Dr. Albert Salas-Huetos The researchers conclude from the study that There is a "beneficial role for chronic consumption of nuts in the quality of sperm" and that nuts should be part of male dietary recommendations

. ] It was a missed rand trial where sperm parameters were measured among study participants during a 14-week study. The researchers write that there has been a decline in the quality of men's sperm from the end attributed to "pollution, smoking, and trends toward a Western-style diet." They undertook the study to examine a diet including nuts and benefits that it could provide.

The 119 participants in the study were young, healthy men aged between 18 and 35. They were randomly divided into two groups. One of the groups received a usual western diet with 60 grams a day of mixed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts) and the other group ate an ordinary western style diet without nuts.

At the beginning of the study as well as the end of the 14-week trial, sperm count, morphology, and DNA fragmentation were noted. Results revealed that men who ate nuts in their diet had an improved sperm count (16 percent improvement), motility (6 percent), shape or morphology (by 1 percent), vitality (by 4 percent) as well as reducing the fragmentation of DNA. According to Salas-Huetos, these factors are all associated with male fertility. The reduction of DNA fragmentation was the main reason why the other parameters improved, he added. Nutrients in nuts, including omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, antioxidants (vitamin C, E, zinc and selenium), etc. are all considered responsible for these improvements.

According to Salas-Huetos, one of the limitations of the study was the inclusion of healthy males with normal fertility. Thus, the test should be performed on a larger group of men with diminished fertility to be sure of the beneficial effects of the nuts, he explained. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the normal sperm concentration for male fertility is greater than 15 million per milliliter, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Progressive motility of 32 percent or more, vitality of 58 percent and a normal morphology of 4 percent or more. This study was funded by the International Nut and Dried Food Council. It will be published soon in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition