Male fertility: daily food that makes Testosterone fall

An unprecedented clinical experimentation

LED with 43 men aged between 20 and 35, this study compared two diets for three weeks: one rich in ultra transformed products (77 % of the caloric hires), the other composed mainly of raw and not very transformed foods. The researchers took care to bring the same number of calories in both cases, in order to isolate the effect of the degree of food transformation.

Without too much surprise, and even without a caloric excess, the participants following an ultra transformed diet have seen their weight and fat mass increase. Metabolic and hormonal disorders have also appeared, in particular with A drop in the FSH hormone, essential for spermatogenesisand a tendency to reduce testosterone

Measurable impacts on fertility

In addition to hormonal markers, the researchers observed a degradation of the total mobility of sperm, a key parameter for fertility. If the number of spermatozoa has not decreased in the short duration of the study, The quality of the gametes seems to be influenced.

These results are added to an alarming observation: since the 70s, the average concentration of sperm has decreased by about 60 % worldwide. The factors in question are multiple (sedentary lifestyle, pollution, endocrine switches), but researchers believe that the explosion of the consumption of ultra transformed foods is an important contribution.

When food becomes a source of contaminants

The study also demonstrated an increase in the blood of some composed of plastic, such as phthalatesknown to disturb the endocrine system. These substances come from the packaging or industrial processes and are added to the effects of saturated fats, refined sugars and additives already present in excess in ultra-transformed.

At the same time, the participants who followed the diet based on raw foods not only stabilized their weight, but also showed a better regulation of different metabolic hormones.

And men in a children’s project?

For couples who consider pregnancy, this data calls The importance of the lifestyle of both partners, not just women. A balanced diet, rich in fresh products, fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish, seems to be a concrete measure to support male fertility.

In the short term, reducing ultra transformed products into the dishes prepared to family plates, industrial snacks, sugary drinks, cold industrial meats, is a simple and efficient lever. Even small changes, such as the replacement of biscuits with fresh fruit or more homemade kitchen, can have a positive impact.

A public health warning

This study, published in the magazine Cellular metabolismprovides an experimental test that The problem does not come only from the calorie excesses, but from the very nature of ultra transformed foods. At a time in which they represent more than half of energy contributions in many Western countries, the demand goes beyond the individual framework: it is a public health problem.

Researchers now ask for new nutritional policies to limit the exposure of populations to ultra transformed products and promote more protective diets.