The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that infertility affects one in six people in the world, and that in the case of men, infertility is mainly due to problems in the expulsion of semen, absence or low levels of sperm, or abnormalities in the shape (morphology) and movement of sperm. In recent decades sperm quality has declined especially in developed countries, suggesting that environmental and lifestyle factors play a key role.
A research team led by the Rovira i Virgili University with the participation of the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) and the CIBEROBN has carried out a study with the aim of identifying some of the main risk factors associated with low quality of sperm and has found a possible relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and semen quality.
Fertility problems associated with low sperm quality
The results of this research are part of the Led-fertyl study, which has evaluated 200 healthy men between 18 and 40 years old in Catalonia, who responded to questionnaires and interviews for several weeks that allowed them to identify their sociodemographic profile, dietary habits, style. life and medical history. Biological samples of blood, urine and semen were also collected and analyzed and classified into three categories based on their consumption of ultra-processed foods.
The results have been published in the scientific journal Human Reproduction Open and have shown that men who consumed around 30% of their daily energy intake in the form of ultra-processed foods were at greater risk of having altered sperm quality parameters. These parameters are those defined by the World Health Organization and have to do with the count of the total number of sperm, their motility and concentration in semen.
Replacing the consumption of ultra-processed foods with others that are little or not processed at all could have a beneficial effect on sperm quality parameters.
The researchers also observed that replacing the consumption of ultra-processed foods with others that are little or not processed at all could have a beneficial effect on these sperm quality parameters. Between 8 and 12% of couples around the world of reproductive age have difficulties conceiving and between 40 and 50% of infertility cases are due to male factors and these results are a starting point to understand the mechanisms that can be hidden behind the consumption of this type of food. Finding them will help the development of future preventive or intervention programs focused on combating fertility problems derived from low sperm quality. Therefore, the authors of the work consider it necessary to continue the research with other different populations to confirm the results obtained.
Factors such as environmental pollution, drug or alcohol consumption, smoking, exposure to possible chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system through diet or the environment, stress and unhealthy eating seem to be involved in the origin. of male infertility. Taking into account that all of these risk factors can be modified, reducing your exposure may be an appropriate measure to prevent these problems.
Sources: CIBEROBN, Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV)
