INFERTILITY

The Unsuspected Cause

Worldwide, about 10% of couples who desire to have children are afflicted with infertility. In about half of the cases (40%–50%), the semen is the issue, with either poor quality or low volume.

Agarwal A, Baskaran S, Parekh N, et al. Male infertility. Lancet. 2021;397:319-333.

There has been a striking decrease in semen quality reported in the last few decades. A 2023 study that included worldwide semen samples, described a decline with each passing year. Between 1973 and 2018, sperm counts dropped by just under 52% globally.

Total sperm counts have dropped 62.3% since 2000.

Levine H, Jørgensen N, Martino-Andrade A, et al. Temporal trends in sperm count: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of samples collected globally in the 20th and 21st centuries. Hum Reprod Update. 2023;29(2):157-176.

Diets low in fruit, vegetables, legumes, low-fat milk, poultry, and fish are associated with poor semen quality and low counts. Similar impact for diets high in meat, dairy products, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, soy, alcohol, and caffeine. 

Pecora G, Sciarra F, Gangitano E, Venneri MA. How food choices impact on male fertility. Curr Nutr Rep. 2023;12(4):864-876. 

Other evidence suggests that environmental pollution, illegal drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary exposure to potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals, psychological stress, and unhealthy diets are partly to blame for poor semen quality.  When we remove these endocrine disruptors, the body starts to communicate properly and health challenges start to change.

Levine H, Jørgensen N, Martino-Andrade A, et al. Temporal trends in sperm count: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2017;23:646-659.

One of the easiest ways to help solve this problem and remove endocrine disruptors is with a simple protocol that has already brought results: Green Detox Pack | A Superfoods and Zeolite Supplement Combo for a Better Detox (thegoodinside.com)

May be the easiest to track reason sperm counts are dropping is that body mass index is closely associated with semen quality. An increase in brown fat (adipose tissue) leads to an increase in 17 beta-estradiol (E2).

This in turn decreases testosterone and increases Estriadiol (E2). Bottom line is that as BMI increases, semen quality falls.

Belloc S, Cohen-Bacrie M, Amar E, et al. High body mass index has a deleterious effect on semen parameters except morphology: results from a large cohort study. Fertil Steril. 2014;102(5):1268-1273. 

During the period in which sperm counts have dropped. the consumption of ultra processed foods also has increased rapidly. Such foods generally have poor nutritional quality and include ingredients such as sugar, salt, fat, and food additives. Numerous papers have linked UPF consumption to various chronic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Healthy nutrition is a key factor to turning your (reproductive) health around. Natural health is mostly common sense that nobody talks about.