Science has, time and again, proven that a healthy diet is important for the body to function well. But the latest study from experts in Boston has discovered that some types of food may affect the sperm's fertility treatment success rate.
Researchers studied the data of 141 men and their partners who have been getting fertility treatments at the Massachusetts General Hospital between the years 2007 to 2014. These treatments range from in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), among others.
The men were also asked to answer a questionnaire to evaluate their dietary choices and determine meat intake.
The study found out that generally, meat consumption does not impact fertilization, regardless of the kind of fertility treatment the men are undergoing. In fact, men who consumed large amounts of chicken or poultry food raised their IVF fertilization rate success by as much as 13 percent, compared to those who ate less chicken meat.
But the study also found out that men who didn't eat bacon, sausage or canned food have a higher IVF fertility rate success at 28 percent compared to those who have these foods in their regular diet.
The study also discovered that for men who love bacon and are trying to conceive with their partners, the ICSI fertilization treatment would have a better rate of success.
"Many studies have shown that diet can affect human fertility, but our diets are so complex that it is difficult to tease out how particular food types may affect reproductive outcomes," said Rebecca Sokol of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, according to Health.
"This study suggests that the type of meat a man consumes may influence his sperm's ability to fertilize an egg. Eating a healthy diet is an easy change to make, and worth making for reproductive health as well as overall health," Sokol added.
Experts recommend that, along with losing weight, quitting smoking and alcohol, reducing the consumption of processed meat must also be included in the list of recommendations for men who are undergoing fertility treatments.
The study, however, was not able to determine the cause and effect between processed meat and sperm count.
One other expert offered a different view: "One of the reasons the study may have found more successful outcomes in the men undergoing fertility treatments who ate chicken over bacon is that chicken-eaters may have an overall healthier diet and lifestyle than bacon-eaters," said urologist Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler, via CBS.
"Perhaps it is not the meat that is the problem, but the dietary choices that men who eat bacon make. Healthier dietary choices usually correlates with a healthier lifestyle, which may overall increase fertility outcomes," she added.
The findings were published in the journal Fertility & Sterility.
