Fertility is a very important topic for all men. The sphere of factors that could affect male fertility is so wide and complex that it certainly cannot be confined only to the dietary sphere, but it is necessary to investigate, with the help of medical specialists, the causes and then choose the therapy to be adopted. Having made this important and necessary premise, however, it must be said that a proper diet, consisting of specific foods, can significantly improve sperm health in men, and consequently increase their fertility rate.
In fact, according to the words of urologist Alessandro Palmieri, working at the Federico II University Polyclinic in Naples and president of the Italian Society of Andrology, “The Mediterranean diet increases the proportion of healthy, high-quality spermatozoa by 72 to 95 percent,” and to give a specific example he adds, “Coffee? It is wrong to consider it a problem. You can drink up to three a day-this helps reduce the risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction by up to a third.”
A diet for future fathers
What are then the most recommended foods to combat the phenomenon of declining fertility in men? In the words of Fabrizio Scroppo, andrologist at the Circolo Hospital and Macchi Foundation in Varese, “The good news is that on the dietary side, there are no waivers. Allied foods for dads-to-be are especially foods rich in antioxidants, which fight free radicals responsible for sperm DNA damage.”
Therefore, foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables that play a very important role in the production of healthy and motile sperm are recommended. Eggs, beans, low-fat dairy products and nuts are also good allies in this regard because of their high zinc content, which prevents agglutination of sperm and improves their movement. Fish, rich in Omega 3, also improves seed quality. Wanting to turn our gaze outside the Mediterranean diet, as Dr. Scroppo himself says, “A few forays are allowed with avocados, which promote hormonal balance, or oysters, which, thanks to zinc, promote testosterone production.”
Doing physical activity
As already anticipated, in addition to a healthy diet, to improve male fertility, physical activity plays a key role. As Dr. Andrea Salonia, urologist and andrologist and director of theUrological Research Institute at Irccs Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan, explains,“Regular physical activity improves the quality of sperm and erections.” In addition to this, another important tip for improving the fertility of one’s reproductive system concerns the stop smoking ( Suffice it to say that more than ten cigarettes a day contribute to reduced sperm concentration and mobility, as well as increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction by one-third).
