When you hear that a couple is having trouble conceiving a baby

Why French Fries Hurt Your FertilityWhen you hear that a couple is having trouble conceiving a baby, if the first thing that pops into your mind is "I wonder what’s wrong with her," you’re not alone -- the fact is, in most such cases, there is a problem with the woman’s fertility. But did you know that in up to 40% of infertile couples, the male partner is either the sole cause of -- or a contributor to -- the problem, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine? The good news is that three new studies have suggested that the quantity and quality of sperm in men (two standard factors that affect fertility) can potentially be controlled. The studies were presented in October at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.To review the latest on what guys can do to get their sperm to multiply and swim faster, I called two male fertility experts. One is Robert Oates, MD, a professor of urology at Boston University School of Medicine and president of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction. The other is Paul J. Turek, MD, a urologist and founder of The Turek Clinic in San Francisco. Both doctors had some criticisms of these studies, since they were small and showed only associations -- which doesn’t necessarily prove cause-and-effect. But if they are confirmed by larger studies in the future, they could hold promise. WHY WHAT YOU EAT MATTERSOne study was a joint effort from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, New York, and the University of Murcia in Spain. Researchers asked 188 men between the ages of 18 and 22 to complete questionnaires that asked how frequently they had consumed specified amounts of certain foods and beverages over the previous year. Their diets were then categorized as being either "Western," characterized by high intake of red and processed meat, refined grains (like French fries), pizza and sweets... or "prudent," composed of mostly whole grains, fish, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Then all the men provided semen samples. Interestingly, men who consumed a more "prudent" diet had higher sperm motility than men with a more "Western" diet. How come? The higher level of antioxidant nutrients in the "prudent" diet might have something to do with it, said Dr. Turek. "We know that at least among infertile men, some of them who take antioxidant supplements experience improved sperm motility because antioxidants reduce oxidative stress," he explained. Dr. Turek added that this finding supports his overall belief that a "Paleo" diet -- like the kind cavemen used to subsist on, made of fruits, veggies, nuts and lean meats -- is best for men when it comes to fertility. A separate study from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, looked at consumption of trans-fatty acids and its effect on semen quality. Nearly 100 men, who were all attending a fertility clinic, completed questionnaires about their dietary habits and provided semen specimens for analysis. The results revealed that men with diets high in trans fats had lower sperm concentrations (in other words, they had a lower quantity of sperm) than men with diets low in trans fats. Why? "It may be that the building blocks for cell-membrane construction in sperm, which are made from various compounds that contain fat, cholesterol and choline, are of inferior quality when the fats that they are derived from are trans fats," said Dr. Turek. WHY YOUR EXERCISE MATTERSIn a third study, from the Kuramoto Women’s Clinic and Yamaguchi University School of Medicine in Japan, 215 men ages 24 to 59 answered questions about their exercise habits and then provided semen specimens. Their exercise was categorized as either light (such as easy walking), moderate (brisk walking) or strenuous (running). The results showed that the men who regularly participated in moderate exercise had the best sperm motility. The fact that exercise and certain hormones tend to be related may be one reason for the finding, said Dr. Turek. "People who exercise strenuously, like endurance athletes, tend to have much lower testosterone levels, which could translate to decreased semen quality," said Dr. Turek. So exercise may be beneficial, he said, as long as you don’t overdo it. IT’S NOT A SLAM DUNK, GUYS What use can we make of these studies? Not surprisingly, when we spoke, Dr. Oates told me, "When you are healthy, your entire body functions better, from your cardiovascular system to your reproductive system." But I’ll phrase this in a way that I think more men may appreciate: If you put low-quality gas and oil in your car and if you don’t run it regularly, it’s not going to drive well and may even break down. So, guys, when you fill up, make it premium... and don’t let the car sit in the garage. Source(s): Robert D. Oates, MD, president, Society for the Study of Male Reproduction, and professor of urology, Boston University School of Medicine.Paul J. Turek, MD, a urologist, the former endowed chair professor of urology at the University of California, San Diego, and founder of The Turek Clinic in San Francisco. (www.TheTurekClinic.com). For his weekly blog on men’s health issues, see www.TurekonMensHealth.com.