Top Ten Food Habits to Avoid Infertility
By Robert Latkany, MDAugust 28, 2009
I distinctly remember the doublemint twins. Who wouldn't? Blonde, beautiful, I guarantee you they were a breath of fresh air. Twins were a rare breed back in the 1970s. But times have changed. In my small neighborhood alone there are 4 sets of twins, and one family with triplets. Don’t get me wrong, they are all cute, but whatever happened to single births?
It turns out that infertility rates are on the rise (1% of births in 2005 were from assisted reproductive technology (ART)) and according to Wright et al almost half of the 52,041 ART births in 2005 produced multiple children.
While the reasons for infertility are complex, and individual patients are best advised by their own personal doctors, and much of the research on food and fertility is observational (good evidence but not great evidence), it's probably worth your time to consider the evidence if you are trying to have a baby: certain foods and food habits seem to be associated with fertility and infertility.
1. Vegetable Protein: .jpg)
Chavarro et al found that women who consume 5% of total energy intake as vegetable protein rather than animal protein had an associated decreased risk of ovulatory infertility by 50%. This means that getting more of your daily protein requirements from vegetable rather than animal sources may help.
2. Iron:
Chavarro et al found that women who took iron supplements had a significantly lower risk of ovulatory infertility than women who did not take iron supplements.
3. Fruits and Vegetables:
Mendiola et al determined that men who ate less milk and meat products and ate more fruits and vegetables had better sperm quality.
4. Zinc:
Colagar et al found that fertile men had higher levels of Zinc in their sperm than infertile subjects. Zinc is found in many foods, including oysters, beef, and peanuts.
5. Avoid Sweet Drinks:
Chavarro et al determined that sweet drinks, whether sugared, diet, caffeinated or caffeine-free, appear to contribute to ovulatory infertility.
6. Avoid Soy:
Chavarro et al found higher intake of soy food or soy isoflavone products lowers men's sperm concentration.
7. Decrease Carbs:
Chavarro et al found the higher the total carbohydrate intake and glycemic load the greater the likelihood of ovulatory infertility.
8. Good fats only, please:
Chavarro et al determined the higher the intake of trans fatty acids compared to mono or poly unsaturated fatty acids the greater the risk for ovulatory infertility.
9. Avoid low fat dairy foods:
Chavarro et al found that high intake of low fat dairy food increases women's risk for anovulatory infertility. High fat dairy foods did not seem to increase risk.
10. Resort to supplements:
Comhaire et al found that supplements of zinc and folic acid, along with supplements with anti-inflammatory properties such as pycnogenol and flaxseed oil, improved sperm motility in men.
What's probably OK:
Alcohol and unsweetened caffeinated drinks: Chavarro et al again (busy guys!) found no association between alcohol intake, caffeine intake, and ovulatory infertility.
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