Organic food vs. Male fertility 

The environment

It is not news that the environment we live in is no longer pristine nature, but is increasingly contaminated by various chemicals that are difficult to break down. These are known professionally as persistent pollutants — substances that have not been used for decades because of their negative side effects, but are still present in nature. Many of them act as so-called endocrine disruptors (let’s just say you’ll definitely be pulling out the glossary at home!). These are substances that affect the hormonal system of humans or other animals. Their structure is similar to the original hormone, so they can amplify or block the effect of natural hormones. Examples are various pesticides, paints or substances used in the manufacture of plastics. But even if you live in the Boubin forest, you can’t avoid them altogether. It is probably one of the main causes of declining male fertility.


So are organic foods an option?

Food from organic farming often gives us the impression that it is something very healthy and that conventional food is basically toxins served on a silver platter. Especially in connection with improved fertility, organic food is increasingly being mentioned.

As far as the aforementioned hormone disruptors are concerned, even these are unavoidable when eating organic food. But there is a flip side to everything. Although organic foods contain significantly less pesticide and fertiliser residues, some studies suggest that selected organic foods have even higher levels of PCBs or dioxins (,which are the hormone disruptors,) than conventional foods. This is because, for example, the cows are happy to run around in a large space, live longer, don’t eat artificial feed, and thus have the opportunity to take in slightly more toxic substances from the environment.

If we look at organic food directly in relation to fertility, studies show that eating organic food can improve sperm quality, ensure better IVF, while study participants reported smoother pregnancies and fewer antenatal complications. However, the authors of the study themselves point out that these results may be biased and the credit cannot be attributed solely to the consumption of organic food. Indeed, it is thought that people who consume predominantly organic food are much more likely to be concerned about what passes through their digestive tract and live healthier lives in general.

So, in summary, what can we take from this? You certainly can’t go wrong with organic food, but you also can’t assume that pouring organic beer all morning and night will make your sperm cheer. It’s always about the context of the whole diet.


Sperm weight and quality

The hormone most involved in sperm quality and spermatogenesis (sperm production) is undoubtedly the well-known testosterone.

If a man is too thin, in a huge caloric deficit (he just doesn’t eat enough) and his body fat percentage is kept below 10% for a long time (although it always depends on the genetics of the individual), it can happen that the body starts to conserve and slowly shut down the functions that ​“eat” energy, which is, for example, the production of testosterone. This decreases, therefore sperm production also decreases.

Conversely, however, if the man is overweight or obese and has a body fat % above 26 %, this is also no longer ideal. Adipose tissue can be a beast and can increase the production of aromatase, which converts active testosterone to estradiol, which also results in lower testosterone concentrations and affects sperm production and quality.

Therefore, a man should maintain a BMI between 18.5 and 25, and in addition, the percentage of body fat should not fall below 10 or rise above 26 % in the long term. However, no extremes are necessary.


Foods to avoid

In general, men’s health and sperm quality are definitely not benefiting from the Western diet, which often includes a high intake of processed red meat (beef or pork), semi-processed foods, sausages, sugar and trans-fatty acids. This diet not only promotes obesity and a higher % of body fat, but can also increase oxidative stress in the body, to which sperm are very sensitive. The intake of any toxic substances, even in the form of smoking or alcohol, can damage sperm DNA and affect their number and structure. If you want your sperm to be as happy as two grapefruits, you’d better avoid these indulgences.

If you were expecting to find information about milk, which is supposedly full of hormones, you are mistaken. All food in the EU is subject to strict European safety legislation and any addition of hormones to food or animal feed is strictly prohibited. We do find bovine hormones in milk, but their concentration is about 6 000 times lower than the concentration of these same hormones in a man’s body and 28 000 times lower than in a woman’s body. Studies have shown that milk consumption does not adversely affect fertility and, on the contrary, dairy products should be an integral part of the diet.


Top foods for happy sperm

What’s just right for male fertility is the Mediterranean diet. This diet is characterized by a rich consumption of omega‑3 fatty acids, whose increased intake has been shown to improve sperm count, motility and structure. At the same time, they also improve their energy metabolism, which means that sperm are really energized and would swim slowly across the English Channel. So try to regularly include oily sea fish, nuts, vegetable oils (especially olive) and flax or chia seeds in your diet.

Another feature of the Mediterranean diet is a high intake of fruit and vegetables. These are a source of vitamins and minerals, in addition to fibre, which also has a very positive effect on the overall health of the body. In many cases, these act as antioxidants, which alleviate the aforementioned oxidative stress that damages sperm. Increased intake of antioxidants is widely used in the prevention and treatment of male infertility, and after antioxidant therapy, pregnancy rates can rise by up to 41%! So the advice of a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day really isn’t entirely off the mark.

If a spermogram shows sperm a little sad or lazy, supplementation with vitamin B12, folic acid, selenium or zinc can also help, which are not only involved in the production of male sex cells but can also increase the number of motile sperm.


Wise words of wisdom in conclusion

If I had to pick out a few tips, I would like to mention that there is no need to look for great complexity in a healthy lifestyle. Try to get enough exercise and especially sleep, as sleep is one of the most underrated factors in a healthy lifestyle. At least 8 hours of quality hibernation is recommended. (And no, 6 hours a day really isn’t enough.) Try to buy mainly low-processed foods and definitely don’t skimp on fruit and vegetables, and don’t overdo it with alcohol. And most importantly — stress yourself as little as possible, because sperm under stress will definitely not perform as well as you would like.

The author of the article is nutritional therapist Ing. Mgr. Šárka Knížková

Sources:

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