Too much meat and dairy harms sperm

| 2 February 2009
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Scientists in Spain have revealed how meat and dairy foods may be linked to fertility problems. This study found that men who ate the most meat and full-fat dairy products had fewer and slower sperm, while those who ate the most fruit and vegetables had higher quality sperm that swam faster. Lead researcher Professor Jaime Mendiola said “…among the couples with fertility problems coming to the clinics, men with good semen quality ate more vegetables and fruit, which means more vitamins, folic acid and fibre and fewer proteins and fats, than those with poor sperm quality”.

Mendiola et al., 2009. Food intake and its relationship with semen quality: a case-control study. Fertility and Sterility. 91 (3) 812-818.

Father and son

About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
I joined Viva! as a health campaigner in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. My scientific training helped me research and write numerous reports, guides and fact sheets for Viva! including Meat the Truth, Fish-Free for Life, One in Nine (breast cancer and diet) and the substantial report on the detrimental health effects of consuming dairy; White Lies. This accompanied Viva!’s report The Dark Side of Dairy which spelt out the inherent cruelty of dairy farming. We were the first UK group to take on the dairy industry in this way, and many of our supporters go vegan after reading these reports.

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