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Published on: November 29, 2018
Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men
Audrey J Gaskins1, Daniela S Colaci, Jaime Mendiola
1Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. agaskins@hsph.harvard.edu
Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|August 14, 2012
Summary
A Prudent diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, was linked to better sperm motility in young men. A Western diet showed no association with semen quality parameters.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Nutritional Science
- Men's Health
Background:
- Sperm quality has declined alongside diet quality over recent decades.
- The influence of specific dietary patterns on semen quality remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between distinct dietary patterns and semen parameters in young men.
- To determine if diet composition impacts sperm concentration, motility, and morphology.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study (n=188) of men aged 18-22 years.
- Dietary patterns identified using factor analysis of food frequency questionnaire data.
- Linear regression analysis adjusted for multiple covariates.
Main Results:
- Two dietary patterns identified: 'Prudent' (fish, chicken, fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and 'Western' (red meat, refined grains, sweets).
- The Prudent diet was positively associated with higher progressive sperm motility (P-trend = 0.04).
- No significant association was found between the Western diet and semen quality parameters.
Conclusions:
- A Prudent dietary pattern may improve progressive sperm motility in young men.
- Dietary patterns did not significantly influence sperm concentration or morphology in this cohort.
- Further research is needed to establish causality, but findings suggest diet modification as a potential strategy for improving semen quality.
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