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 After examining data from nearly 1,700 young men, researchers
determined that fish oil supplement consumption was associated with
a higher sperm count, larger testes and improved levels of hormones
that contribute to male fertility, according to the report published
in JAMA Network Open.
While all men could benefit from adding omega-3 fatty acids to their
diets, the biggest impact would be in those with poor sperm quality,
said study coauthor Tina Kold Jensen, a professor at Rigshospitalet
and the University of Southern Denmark, in Odense.
That's because these types of fatty acids are essential to
fertility, Jensen said in an email.
"The composition of the sperm cell membrane with rich fatty acid
content is critical for proper sperm function," Jensen explained.
"The sperm cell membrane plays a critical role in the key
fertilization events. Omega-3 in the sperm membrane increases as the
sperm matures and it cannot be synthesized . . . in humans and needs
to come from diet."
To explore the possibility that fish oil and other nutrients might
impact male fertility, Jensen and her colleagues approached men
between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017 who were undergoing
physical exams as part of Denmark's military conscription
procedures.
The men were invited to participate in a study of testicular
function and those who signed on were given an appointment for an
examination and compensated with 500 Danish krone ($74.23).
During their appointments, the men filled out a questionnaire,
underwent a physical exam, delivered a semen sample and had blood
drawn. They were asked about diet, vitamins or dietary supplements,
lifestyle and health issues, and specifically about testicular
health issues, such as inguinal hernias, and about
sexually-transmitted diseases.
The men were also asked about alcohol consumption, tobacco and
marijuana use, and whether their mothers had smoked during
pregnancy.
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When Jensen and her colleagues analyzed their data, they found that
men who had consumed fish oil supplements on fewer than 60 days in
the past three months had semen volume that was 0.38 mL higher than
those who took no supplements. Men who consumed fish oil on 60 or
more days during that period had semen volume that was 0.64 mL
higher than men not using the supplements.
Similarly, compared to those who did not take supplements,
testicular size in men who consumed fish oil on fewer than 60 days
was 0.8 mL larger and among those who consumed it for 60 days or
more it was 1.5 mL larger.
Men who consumed fish oil also had higher numbers of sperm than
those who did not take the supplements. In addition, they had higher
percentages of sperm that swam straight ahead, as opposed to in
circles, for example, and that had healthier shapes overall.
The new study is interesting since it looked at men from the general
population who were young and healthy, said Albert Salas-Huetos, a
researcher in the urology, andrology and IVF unit at the University
of Utah in Salt Lake City, who wrote an editorial accompanying the
new study.
"Because it's an observational study you can't say that there is a
causal relationship between fish oil supplements and testicular
function," Salas-Huetos said. "But it's a good starting point that
might (spur) others to do a well-designed randomized controlled
trial."
Until such a study is done, no recommendations can be made about
fish oil and fertility, Salas-Huetos said.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/369edRv and https://bit.ly/2Tyg5jP JAMA
Network Open, online January 17, 2020.
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