Infertility is a growing problem nowadays. It affects more people than what we all realize. According to estimations by different authors (Evers, 2002; Boivin et al., 2007) about 15% of young couples suffer from it. What are the potential contributing factors behind it? Pollution, smoking and poor eating habits, just to mention a few.
The good news is that not everything is down to genetics – as scientific evidence shows that diet also plays a prominent role in male fertility. And a daily nut consumption might have a potential impact on sperm quality and quantity, according to a new set of investigations. What does this refer to exactly?
A Mix of Nuts Is The Key
A study funded by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, INC, and recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition took a look at the effect of eating a daily snack of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, on several sperm quality aspects, including size, shape and count. A total of 119 young men, between 18 and 35, took part in the 14-week clinical trial. The group was split into two groups. The first one followed a Western-style diet with a daily supplement of 60g of tree nuts. The other group followed a similar diet but free of nuts.
Nuts May Help You
The findings of the research were revealing. Those who had received the daily nut snack showed improved sperm quality factors, including sperm count and shape. Researchers also examined the DNA fragmentation and saw that the men in the nut group presented lower levels of DNA fragmentation. Sperm with significantly fragmented DNA has been linked to male infertility.
In sum, a Western-style diet supplemented with nuts may help to improve quality sperm. Start adding them to your diet to potentially prevent fertility issues.
