Data tells us that the percentage of infertility attributable to women is about 40 % and the same for men. The remaining 20% is due to both or unknown causes. We often talk about women's infertility but not a lot about men's.
In our modern society, the quality of the food we eat is not getting better, and this is especially the case with the rise of the fast-food mania. People usually do not have much time to eat, and fast food can be time-saving and economically advantageous.
Studies have shown that fast food consumption is often responsible for male infertility.
What does science say?
Different factors affect sperm quality, such as individual lifestyle, the external environment, or eating habits. In this article, we will focus on eating habits, especially fast-food consumption.
According to a recent study, fast food and industrial food directly reduce the number of sperm. The study was conducted on 3000 men aged between 18 and 30. These men were divided into four groups depending on their usual eating habits. This study has shown that those who consumed red meat, sugar, fried food, and fast-food daily had a lower sperm quality than the three remaining groups. The men who mainly consumed fast food had an inferior sperm count during ejaculation, approx. 25,6 million spermatozoids, compared to the average number given by the World Health Organization, 35 million. According to the experts who conducted this study, lower sperm quality is due to a reduction of hormones caused by fast food consumption, mainly the nutrient deficiency fast-food consumption implies.
To conclude, infertility is closely related to your healthy habits. But removing tiny joys in life that can bring you unhealthy food is not the best solution. The most important thing is balanced habits, together with appropriate physical exercise.
On the contrary, foods that should keep your sperm healthy are:
- Red and orange fruits and vegetables
- Food with high content of vitamin C
- Lean meats and nuts
- Food with high content of omega-3 acids and green leafy vegetables
At Unica, we help you on your fertility journey, which can sometimes be challenging. But it is never too late to start having healthy habits. Our team is here to support you to fulfil your dream of becoming parents no matter what!