Fish is one of the most popular foods in certain countries in the world, but it seems that it has become a lot more popular since the presence of Omega 3 was discovered. Thanks to the many benefits that the unique fatty acid has on overall health, fish has become a good deal more popular. However, the main benefit that interest most men is the one directly affecting their fertility, and thus Omega 3 has garnered even more interest in recent years.
What is Omega 3?
Omega 3 is a fatty acid that is present in salmon, tuna, and other marine fish. Omega 3 has long been considered an excellent antioxidant that improves overall health, but a recent study conducted in Illinois has linked the fatty acid tosperm health and male fertility. This means that a lot more of the spotlight is soon to be placed on the already popular nutrient.
The study conducted by the University of Illinois found that the DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) known as Omega 3 is required by the body to produce sperm in their proper shape. DHA is needed to create the tailed swimming champion from an immature round sperm cell. One of the University of Illinois professors , Manabu Nakamura, stated, “Normal sperm cells contain an arc-like structure called the acrosome that is critical in fertilization because it houses, organizes, and concentrates a variety of enzymes that sperm use to penetrate an egg.”
How does Omega 3 Boost Sperm Health
Omega 3 has a number of benefits to the reproductive organs, including:
- Improving circulation to the genitals, thus keeping the reproductive organs healthy and functioning properly.
- Lowering blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction and other reproductive organ-related health issues.
However, aside from these benefits, Omega 3 is also essential for helping improve sperm health. Without the DHA ensuring that the sperm are produced in the correct shape, there is a much lower sperm motility. Lower sperm motility means less chances of getting pregnant, as the sperm have to swim “upstream” in order to fertilize the egg.
Insufficient DHA can actually cause the sperm health to decrease. Cholesterol replaces insufficient fatty acids in the body, thus filling the sperm membrane with this unhealthy substance. Sperm are thus unable to mature properly, and they are much more likely to be damaged. Without sufficient levels of DHA in the body, sperm are unable to form properly.
The U of I study was performed on mice, and the test was focused on DHA’s role in the production of healthy sperm by the body. The doctoral student who was the co-author of this particular study, Timothy Abbott, stated, “Without DHA, this vital structure doesn’t form and sperm cells don’t work.”
When the mice had insufficient levels of DHA in their body, they were basically infertile. However, once DHA levels were restored to normal, sperm motility, count, and shape all returned to normal and regular fertility was regained.
A study in Iran also linked fertility and sperm health with Omega 3 fatty acids. Mohammed Reza Safarinejad, lead researcher at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University, stated, “The results (of the test) suggest that further research should be performed to assess the potential benefits of Omega-3 supplementation as a therapeutic approach in infertile men.”(source: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-DHA-may-boost-male-fertility-For-mice-at-least)
Further studies have yet to reveal just how important Omega-3 is to the rest of the body, but these studies are conclusive and reveal that Omega 3 is closely linked to sperm health and fertility. Men looking to increase their fertility should consider Omega 3 supplementation as a means of naturally improving the reproductive health.