Gulf newspaper

Yazid bin Salman – Shabwa –

Eating a diet full of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables can boost a person’s reproductive health — and fertility.

Superfoods like salmon and avocado are rich in vitamins and minerals essential for healthy sperm and egg production.

Meanwhile, often overlooked foods like pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts contain fatty acids that help regulate a person’s hormones and aid the development of ovaries.

Spinach and kale

This pair of vegetables is an excellent source of iron, folic acid, and vitamin C, and is beneficial for female fertility.

And a 2006 study by Harvard researchers found that women who boosted their daily iron intake with supplementation were less likely to experience infertility.

This is because of the role iron plays in ovulation. Women who do not get enough iron are more likely to experience anovulation, insufficient ovulation, and poor egg health, which can make pregnancy up to 60% more difficult compared to women with normal iron levels.

Another Harvard research team established a link between folic acid and female fertility in 2014.

In a study of 232 women, they found that women who had the highest intake of folic acid were more likely to become pregnant and more likely to have a successful delivery.

Folic acid is beneficial for the health of a woman’s ovaries and her general reproductive system, which increases the chance of a healthy pregnancy.

Vitamin C is also important for women because it can help regulate the menstrual cycle, raising estrogen levels while lowering progesterone levels.

The vitamin can also repair damage to the reproductive systems of men and women, increasing the odds of a healthy pregnancy.

For men, vitamin C may improve sperm quality by protecting them from damage by free radicals.

Brazil nuts

The protein-rich dry nuts that grow on older trees in the Amazon rainforest contain nutrients believed to aid fertility.

This is due to the rich selenium content of nuts.

One Brazil nut contains up to 91 micrograms of selenium – or double the daily recommended intake of 55 micrograms per day.

The element is essential for the body’s formation of DNA, and can help reduce cell damage and protect against infection.

In women, it’s essential for the development of follicles in the ovaries — small, fluid-filled sacs that contain eggs. Selenium is also an antioxidant and can help prevent damage to eggs from free radicals within the body – molecules that damage cells.

And in 2014, a Polish research team wrote: “Selenium plays an important role in the undisturbed functioning of the reproductive system.”

Several studies dealt with the relationship between eating it and fertility and reproductive disorders.

Selenium deficiency may lead to pregnancy complications, miscarriage, and damage to the fetus’s nervous and immune systems.

It has been proven that low serum selenium concentration in early pregnancy is an indicator of low birth weight.

Its antioxidant benefits also extend to sperm.

In a 2011 study of 690 infertile men who were given selenium supplements for 100 days, results showed a 52% improvement in sperm motility, size and shape.

Although true selenium deficiency is relatively rare, it can be diagnosed using a blood test or by samples of hair and nails.

poultry

While red meat and some processed meats may play a role in a man’s fertility, chicken dinner can boost his chances of getting pregnant.

Chicken and turkey are excellent sources of selenium, as are other meats.

A 2015 Harvard study found that men who ate higher levels of red and processed meat had lower fertility.

But men who frequently eat poultry are 13% more likely to conceive a child.

tomatoes

Research has shown that the same chemical that gives tomatoes their deep red color is also healthy for a man’s sperm. Lycopene is an organic compound composed of carbon and hydrogen. It gives a red color, and colors fruits such as tomatoes and grapefruit.

It is also beneficial for a man’s sperm count and may allow it to move faster through a woman’s reproductive system.

A study conducted in 2019 showed that 44 men with low sperm count were given 25 mg lycopene supplements for 12 weeks, while the control group got a placebo.

By the end of the study, those who got the lycopene had significantly more sperm than those who didn’t get the supplement.

For women, lycopene can prevent the formation of endometriosis, a worldwide cause of infertility.

The condition occurs when the tissues that are supposed to line the inside of the uterus grow outside.

avocado

Avocados are rich in folic acid, vitamin A, potassium and magnesium.

As with leafy greens, the folic acid in avocados boosts a woman’s likelihood of pregnancy and a successful live birth.

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin wrote in 2011 that females deficient in vitamin A are less likely to conceive.

They also say that the vitamin is necessary for the production of sperm in the body and for the health of the male reproductive organs in general.

Avocados are also an excellent source of potassium and are much richer in nutrients than bananas – the fruit most associated with the chemical element.

Potassium deficiency can lead to the formation of ovarian cysts. While these are usually harmless, they can also lead to endometrial polyps.

Magnesium deficiency was also common in female infertility, including in a 2015 study by Austrian researchers, though experts aren’t sure why.

pumpkin seeds

It comes rich in vitamins and minerals that are important for fertility, but most importantly zinc. The chemical element is an essential part of a healthy diet, and it can boost the body’s immune system and metabolism. It is also necessary for fertility.

It plays a role in how women’s eggs are divided and fertilized; Deficiencies can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.

It has also been linked to increased sperm count and quality in men who get high levels of sperm in their diets.

Omega-3 fatty acids, which can also be found in pumpkin seeds, can also be a great fertility boost.

The fatty acids are known to help regulate hormone systems and help women have a more consistent menstrual cycle – making pregnancy simpler.

eggs

While eggs are often portrayed as a source of cholesterol, recent research is beginning to put it back in a positive light.

This includes research showing its value in increasing a person’s fertility.

The yolk is rich in iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin A – all of which help make a person more fertile.

They are also sources of lean protein, which have close links to improving fertility.

Salmon

The popular superfood found in sushi can also boost fertility. Salmon is rich in fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin D, all of which are great for people hoping to conceive a baby.

Vitamin D plays an interesting role in fertility for both men and women.

Nutrients more closely associated with sunlight can help a woman produce more eggs, which increases her chance of pregnancy.

It has also been linked to sperm motility, which is the ability of sperm to travel up a woman’s reproductive tract and find eggs.

Source: Daily Mail