5 Foods That Can Harm Male Fertility

We typically focus on all the things that females should and shouldn’t do to improve their fertility and chances of falling pregnant. But in reality, 40-50% of fertility struggles involve complications with male fertility.

In fact, it’s just as important for males to consider their dietary and lifestyle choices in order to conceive a healthy baby.

Let’s dive into some of the foods males should avoid when trying to conceive, in order to optimise their fertility and their baby’s future wellbeing.

Why is diet so important for male fertility?

Dietary choices can affect your sperm quality, quantity and health, hugely impacting your fertility AND the epigenetics of your future baby after conception.

Haven’t heard of epigenetics?

Once your baby has been conceived, nutritional choices of the father may also go on to influence how the embryo develops and grows, including determining which genes are expressed in the baby. This is called epigenetics, which essentially refers to the “switching on or off” of genes, having different effects on your baby’s health and development.

For example, if either parent eats a poor quality diet in the months leading up to conception, the baby may be at greater risk of obesity later in life, due to the epigenetic changes switching on genes which increase the likelihood of becoming overweight. Other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and cancer may also have links to epigenetics.

The choices you make today influence your child potentially throughout their entire lifetime, so it’s more than worth improving your nutrition while trying to conceive.

Let’s cover some of the foods males should avoid if you’re trying to conceive a healthy baby.

1.Sodas and energy drinks

Sugary sodas and energy drinks have adverse effects on male fertility, even if you’re just having them a few times a week.

Sugar-sweetened beverages have been found to lead to lower sperm counts and concentrations in men, with men who added one extra 200 mL serving of soda per day having a median 3.4 million sperm/ml less than men who opted for water instead.

Similarly, energy drinks have been linked to decreased semen quality, with the impact of these drinks increasing in line with the number of energy drinks men consumed. These, too, can reduce sperm count, making it more difficult for males to conceive.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has also been found to increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, with insulin resistance having flow-on effects for fertility. This condition increases oxidative stress in the body, which negatively affects sperm motility, and causes inflammation amongst other health consequences.

2. Processed meats

Processed meats, including ham, bacon and salami, have a detrimental effect on male fertility when eaten regularly.

These meats often contain harmful chemicals like nitrates, used to preserve the meat so they stay fresh and edible. However there’s a significant trade off: you may enjoy the processed meat for longer, but you’re compromising your fertility and health.

Processed red meats are also high in saturated and trans fats, or the “bad” fats. The trans fats in these meats can impair sperm quality, reducing sperm count and sperm motility too. In fact, one study found men in the highest quartile of processed meat consumption had 23% fewer healthy, morphologically normal sperm compared to men who ate the least processed meat.

The trans and saturated fat content of these foods can further create chronic inflammation in your body, increasing your risk of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease as well as negatively impacting your fertility.

3. Foods high in trans and saturated fats

A diet including an excessive intake of trans and/or saturated fats has been directly linked with reduced fertility in men. These fats are found in high amounts in things like fast food, processed salty or sweetened foods, fried foods, confectionery, and processed red meats as we’ve established.

These fatty acids create oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, these being the precursor to serious health conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Each of these metabolic disorders has been associated with decreases in sperm quality, hormone and immune system dysfunction, and increased risk of infertility.

Trans fats build up in the testes, causing reduced testosterone production and concentration, and impairing the production of sperm. In some cases, these fats can even create pathological changes in the testes, having long-term impacts on your fertility.

Similarly, saturated fats have been shown to lower sperm concentration in semen, and reduce semen count. So it’s very evident: both of these fatty acids are not your friend if you’re looking to optimise your fertility.

4. Foods containing BPA

BPA, or bisphenol A, is an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) found in plastics, and many products you likely use or consume every day. BPA can negatively interfere with sperm production, with men who had higher levels of BPA in their urine also experiencing lower sperm counts, viability and motility too.

It’s almost impossible to avoid BPA entirely, and in fact studies have found more than 90% of western populations have detectable BPA in their urine, with food sources and cosmetic products being the primary sources of exposure. However, if you can lower your exposure to BPA this will help to reduce the impact on male fertility.

Given food is one of the main ways you’re exposed to BPA, it’s a good route to address if you’re looking to optimise your fertility. There are changes you can make.

• Opt for fresh produce where this is possible, to reduce your use of canned or plastic-wrapped and packaged foods. Tins, cans and plastic packaging are some of the greatest sources of BPA.

• Buy food in glass jars instead of cans, where you can. Then, reuse the jars for storage later on!

• If you can’t purchase fresh fruit and veg, shop for the frozen varieties. These are just as nutritious as fresh produce, and are less likely to contain the same level of BPA as canned vegetables and fruits do. Dried beans are also a great substitute for canned.

• Lastly, and not technically a food tip, but reduce using plastic containers, bottles and cookware. Even plastics claiming to be “BPA-free” often contain very similar chemicals in place of BPA.

5. Refined or added sugars

Refined sugar or “simple carbohydrate” intake has an effect on male fertility from several aspects.

Firstly, a high sugar intake increases your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Chronically high blood sugar levels may result in a drop in testosterone production, increased oxidative stress, and greater risk of insulin resistance. Each of these factors impact sperm health and function.

Sperm normally uses glucose as its “foundation”, so when insulin resistance develops, sperm is unable to use the glucose it needs as it normally would. At the same time, the decrease in testosterone and increase in oxidative stress negatively impact sperm functionality and motility, meaning the effect of sugary foods on sperm is compounded. High-sugar diets have also been linked to changes in sperm concentration.

On average, Australian adults consume around 14 teaspoons of refined or added sugars each day, suggesting a fair few people are compromising their sperm health in the process.

Foods high in refined sugars or simple carbs include chocolate, confectionery, syrups, table sugar, processed and packaged bars and snacks, white bread, pastries, some cereals, and refined grains. Swap your refined carbs and excessive sugar intake for whole grain, whole food alternatives.

While dietary choices are critical to consider for males (and females) when trying for a baby, there are also many lifestyle factors to take into account if you’re looking to improve your fertility.

Equip yourself with the key foods you should be eating (and more you should be avoiding!) as well as effective lifestyle strategies you can implement today to improve your fertility.

Sign up for my upcoming Male Fertility Nutrition Masterclass Series for all the information, tools and evidence-based strategies you need to give yourself the best chance at building the family you want!

Here’s a look at what you’ll get as part of the Masterclass Series. Plus, I’ll be making time to answer your burning questions live if you can join either webinar on Tuesday, 28th March 8pm AEDT or Wednesday, 29th March 12pm AEDT. Grab you seat now and see you there! Replays of the webinars will be made available for 12 months afterwards, so don’t worry if you can’t make a live session.