In general, people should do their best to eat a well-balanced diet. However, most individuals like to splurge on some meals that are high in carbohydrates and cheese, and find themselves reaching for that extra slice of chocolate cake every once in awhile. The most important thing for people to do is make sure that they are getting a good supply of antioxidants through what they are eating. For instance, vegetables and fruits, such as broccoli and tomatoes are high in these nutrients, and may boost the quality of sperm in men.
Reproductive health benefits
A new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility reported that men who have high concentrations of vitamins C and E, as well as folate and zinc are less likely to have as many DNA-strand breaks in their sperm, as compared to those males who have lower levels of the nutrients, as reported by Reuters. Although this association was proven to be true, it may not necessarily be the antioxidants, but rather the lifestyle choices that are made by individuals who regularly eat healthy.
“People who eat well are probably doing a bunch of other healthy things too,” said Andrew Wyrobek, a senior researcher working on the study, the news source reports.
Researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif. surveyed 80 healthy men who were between the ages of 22 and 80 about their diet and supplement use, and then took sperm samples. They found that those who were older than 45 and had the highest vitamin C levels were around 20 percent less likely to have DNA damage, as compared to those who had a deficiency in the nutrient. They also reported similar results regarding vitamin E, zinc and folate.
Try a supplement
If a man finds that it’s difficult to get a lot of fruits and vegetables, which often carry these nutrients, it may be beneficial for him to take a supplement, such as Ultimate Reds made by Dr. Newton’s Naturals. In fact, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that 52 percent of surveyed individuals take a dietary supplement that contains common antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E, as well as beta-carotene, selenium, flavonoids and isoflavones.
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