Fatty acids, food groups and semen variables in men referring to an Italian Fertility Clinic: Cross‐sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Diet has been suggested as a factor affecting sperm quality, both in healthy and infertile men. To study whether specific food groups and fatty acids (FA) intake were associated with sperm parameters of men from couples referring to an Italian Fertility Clinic, we conducted a cross‐sectional analysis. A semen sample was collected and analysed before proceeding with assisted reproduction. To evaluate food groups and fatty acids intake, we used a questionnaire of food frequency. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for abnormal semen parameters. Among 323 men, 19% had semen volume (SV) <1.5 ml, 31% sperm concentration (SC) <15 mil/mL, 33% total sperm count (TSC) <39 mil and 27% sperm progressive motility <32%. Low SC was more frequent in men with higher saturated FA (SFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) intake. Better SC and TSC were related to higher monounsaturated FA (MUFA)/SFA ratio. Monounsaturated FA and linoleic/linolenic acid ratio were not related to any considered parameters. Low TSC was associated with low vegetable intake. In conclusion, normal sperm parameters were more frequent in men with low intake of SFA and PUFA, and high vegetable intake. Higher MUFA/SFA ratio was associated with better sperm quality parameters.

Assessing the influence of preconception diet on male fertility: a systematic scoping review

“…The included studies comprised one RCT ( Yamamoto et al , 2017 ) and 36 observational studies; 14 prospective ( Chavarro et al , 2008 ; Vujkovic et al , 2009 ; Braga et al , 2012 ; Twigt et al , 2012 ; Afeiche et al , 2014a ; Afeiche et al , 2014b ; Minguez-Alarcon et al , 2015 ; Xia et al , 2015 , 2016 ; Oostingh et al , 2017 ; Gaskins et al , 2018 ; Hatch et al , 2018 ; Salas-Huetos et al , 2022a ; Salas-Huetos et al , 2022b ), 16 cross-sectional ( Attaman et al , 2012 ; Karayiannis et al , 2017 ; Danielewicz et al , 2018 ; Efrat et al , 2018 ; Jurewicz et al , 2018 ; Danielewicz et al , 2019 ; Ricci et al , 2019 , 2020 ; Shirani et al , 2020 ; Mitsunami et al , 2021a ; Mitsunami et al , 2021b ; Abdollahi et al , 2022 ; Leilami et al , 2022 ; Nouri et al , 2022a ; Nouri et al , 2022b ; Geller et al , 2023 ), and six case–control ( Mendiola et al , 2009 , 2010 ; Eslamian et al , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 ; Haeri et al , 2021 ) studies. Study characteristics are outlined in Supplementary Table S2 , with a summary of results (stratified by food groups/patterns) provided in Supplementary Table S3 .…”

“…Seven studies assessed the influence of total fat and fatty acid intake on male fertility outcomes ( Mendiola et al , 2010 ; Attaman et al , 2012 ; Eslamian et al , 2015 ; Ricci et al , 2020 ; Nouri et al , 2022b ; Salas-Huetos et al , 2022a ; Geller et al , 2023 ). Two prospective US studies examined fatty acid intake and fecundability ( Salas-Huetos et al , 2022a ; Geller et al , 2023 ).…”

“…There were no associations of fat intake or specific fatty acids with sperm motility, but men in the highest tertile of omega-3 PUFA intake had a 1.9% (95% CI: 0.4–3.5%) higher normal sperm morphology than men in the lowest tertile ( P trend = 0.01, across the median intake tertiles) ( Table 1 ). An Italian study of 323 men undergoing fertility treatment found that sperm concentrations <15 million/ml were more frequent in those with a higher intake of PUFA (linoleic and linolenic acids) and a lower monounsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio ( Ricci et al , 2020 ) ( Table 1 ). In a case–control study of men attending infertility clinics in Iran (n = 342), the highest tertile of intake of total saturated fatty acids, total trans fatty acids, and palmitic acid had increased odds of asthenozoospermia (low motility) by 85% (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.24–2.96), 153% (OR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.54–3.92), and 90% (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.26–2.74), respectively, while higher intakes of omega-3 PUFAs reduced the odds of asthenozoospermia by 34% (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.58–0.94) ( Eslamian et al , 2015 ) ( Table 1 ).…”

“…The relationship between dairy intake and male fertility was reported in five studies ( Mendiola et al , 2009 ; Braga et al , 2012 ; Afeiche et al , 2014a ; Xia et al , 2016 ; Ricci et al , 2020 ). Of these, only one study reported on clinical ART outcomes, finding no association between dairy intake and fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy or live birth rates (n = 141; 246 ART cycles) ( Xia et al , 2016 ).…”

Fatty acids intake and outcomes of assisted reproduction in women referring to an Italian Fertility Service: cross‐sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study

“…Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m 2 ). Lifestyle habits (i.e., smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, and methylxanthine‐containing beverage consumption) were categorised as described previously 16 …”