Can diet improve your sperm count?

2 mins to read

What's the connection between diet and men's fertility? Online personal trainer Andrew Cate looks at the impact of four essential and very common nutrients.

Mens health

If the latest research is anything to go by, hopeful fathers-to-be could find themselves eating their way to a better sperm count.

Studies are finding that food has a huge impact on the quality and amount of sperm produced, with the following four nutrients considered particularly important.

1. Folic acid (folate)

Impact – Boosts sperm count
Evidence – Recommended as a food supplement for pregnant women, folic acid could also have a beneficial effect on male fertility. In one US study, men who took higher doses of folic acid had a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in abnormal sperm. The same study found that folic acid may be vital to proper sperm development, because it is required for the production of DNA.
Sources - Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in foods such as pulses, beans and spinach, while folic acid is its supplement form. Some breakfast cereals are also fortified with folic acid.

2. Fruits and vegetables

Impact – Boosts sperm count
Evidence – The antioxidants in plant foods play an important role in semen quality. A 2009 European study of patients attending fertility clinics found that men displaying good semen quality ate more vegetables and fruit than men with low seminal quality. The researchers believe that antioxidants help reduce the oxidative stress levels that may affect semen quality, while improving sperm concentration and mobility.
Sources - Antioxidants are mainly found in fresh fruits and vegetables, and are also available in supplement form.

3. Meat and dairy

Impact – Reduces sperm count
The research – In the same European study (above), researchers found that men who consume large amounts of animal fats as part of their daily diet (particularly processed meats and full-fat dairy foods) may be at a higher risk of infertility than their counterparts who eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. The researchers theorised that environmental pollutants, which often find their way into livestock through food and water supplies, could interfere with the sperm-production process. These compounds are often fat-soluble, and tend to accumulate in the animal's fat deposits, which are passed up through the food chain.
Sources – High-fat animal foods, including processed meats such as sausages, bacon, ham and salami, and full-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese and ice cream

4. Soy foods

Impact – Reduces sperm count
Evidence – Research has shown that men who eat half a serving of soy foods every day have lower concentrations of sperm than men who do not eat soy foods. Soy foods contain isoflavones, a plant-based compound that acts like the female hormone oestrogen, interfering with the production of sperm.
Sources – Isoflavones are found in soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, soy sausages, soy milk, soy cheese, soy yoghurt, soy ice cream and some powdered drinks and energy bars.