Folic acid improves sperm quality

The use of foods rich in folic acid prevents the formation of defective spermatozoa and reduces the risk of having children with chromosomal abnormalities, reports the journal Human Reproduction.

Scientists from the University of California collected information about the diet and the use of vitamin supplements in 89 healthy non-smoking men. They then examined the participants' sperm samples.

Comparing the data, the researchers concluded that the use of high doses of folic acid prevents aneuploidy – the appearance of defective spermatozoa with additional chromosomes or their shortage. In men who consumed the largest amount of folic acid – from 722 to 1150 micrograms per day – aneuploidy was 20-30% less common than in men with low folate intake, said the head of the study Brenda Eskenazi (Brenda Eskenazi).

According to statistics, on average, about 4% of spermatozoa with an abnormal number of chromosomes are present in the sperm of healthy men. Aneuploidy can cause infertility, miscarriages and the birth of children with diseases such as Down syndrome, Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome and Kleinfelter syndrome.

"This study shows for the first time that the diet of the future father can play a role in the development of healthy offspring," Eskenazi said. In the USA, men over the age of 19 are recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. Men planning to conceive may need to be advised to take higher doses of this vitamin, the scientist noted.

Folic acid is found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, bread made from coarse flour, yeast, liver. In a number of countries, manufacturers are required to enrich bread and other flour products with folic acid. Pregnant women are recommended to take this vitamin to prevent neural tube defects in the fetus.

Source: Genetic Abnormalities In Sperm Linked To Dietary Folate Intake, Study Shows – Science Daily, 03/20/2008

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20.03.2008