According to a recent study, regular consumption of nuts could help improve male fertility.
- Nuts offer a high concentration of omega-3, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols.
- A study shows that walnut consumption is linked to an increase in sperm vitality, mobility and morphology. Which leads to an improvement in male fertility.
- On the other hand, researchers did not find a link between women’s fertility and nut consumption.
According to estimates, 3.3 million people are directly affected by infertility in France. In 30 to 40% of cases, the man is involved in the couple’s difficulty in procreating. One of the ways to improve sperm quality is diet. A study from the University of Australia Monarshpublished in the journal Advances in Nutrition on November 17, 2023, highlights the qualities of a particular fruit: nuts.
Nuts: more mobile sperm
Nuts are known for their high concentration of omega-3, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. These nutrients could help improve fertility, according to scientific literature. To verify this hypothesis, researchers from the Australian University Monarsh carried out a meta-analysis on all the work carried out on the impact of these fruits on the chances of conceiving. The researchers included 4 publications representing a total of 646 men and 229 women. Some participants were asked to consume 60 to 75 g of nuts or nut supplements daily for 12 weeks. Scrutineered data shows that men whose diet included 60 g of nuts per day had better sperm quality (motility, vitality and morphology) compared to their counterparts who did not consume it. On the other hand, the food does not seem to improve sperm concentration.
“Our meta-analysis shows that including at least 2 servings of nuts per day as part of a Western-style diet in healthy men improves sperm parameters, which are predictors of male fertility . Due to their nutritional profile, nuts have been found to have the potential to promote positive reproductive outcomes. write the authors.
Fertility: nuts do not seem to have any effect on women
If nuts seem to benefit men who want children, they would have less effects on women. Scientists explain that the evidence for the beneficial effects of nuts on female fertility is limited. However for them, food remains an interesting element to study for design issues.
“Given that infertility is considered a major health topic and now more than ever people are seeking more natural and affordable alternatives, we advocate future studies that target different populations to include women and men who have difficulty conceiving and who have pregnancy as the primary outcome”. Among other things, they propose to study the different types of nuts, taking into account the differences in their nutritional composition. “Future studies should also consider combining different nuts to investigate potential synergistic effects regarding positive effects on fertility outcomes.“, they add.
