Nutraceutical: Omega 3s

Indication: Sperm quality

Source: Hum Reprod, March 2012: doi: 10.1093/humrep/des065

Research: Researchers have found that men who eat large quantities of fatty food have low sperm quality. Researchers analyzed data from 99 men attending a fertility clinic. Fatty acid levels in sperm and seminal plasma were measured using gas chromatography in a subgroup of men (n = 23). The men in the study were primarily Caucasian (89%) with a mean age of 36; 71% were overweight or obese and 67% were never smokers.

Results: Higher total fat intake was negatively related to total sperm count and concentration. Men in the highest third of total fat intake had 43% lower total sperm count and 38% lower sperm concentration than men in the lowest third. This association was driven by intake of saturated fats. Levels of saturated fatty acids in sperm were also negatively related to sperm concentration, but saturated fat intake was unrelated to sperm levels. On a positive note, higher intake of omega 3 polyunsaturated fats was related to a more favorable sperm morphology. Men in the highest third of omega 3 fatty acids had nearly 2% higher normal morphology than men in the lowest third. In this preliminary cross-sectional study, high intake of saturated fats was negatively related to sperm concentration whereas higher intake of omega 3 fats was positively related to sperm morphology. Further, studies with larger samples are now required to confirm these findings.