Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Male Fertility


by Michael Byrd - Date: 2006-12-26 - Word Count: 472 Share This!

How do omega 3 fatty acids and male fertility fit together?

That's a good question and you'll be happy with the answer.

Research is still ongoing for omega 3 fatty acids and male fertility in the area of sperm and sperm mobility. But many reproductive benefits have already been proven for omega 3 fish oil.

For example, it's well established that the fatty acids in fish greatly improve blood flow to the genitals. They also naturally lower blood pressure and support a healthy prostate gland.

These fish oil benefits are vitally important to the act of reproduction.

Greater blood flow to the genitals and normal blood pressure lowers the risk of erectile dysfunction. And we all know it's difficult to reproduce if there's problems in rising to the ocassion.

Prostatitis, or swelling of the prostate, also has serious reproductive repercussions. It's therefore in a man's best interest to supplement regularly with fish oil, because the natural anti-inflammatory ability of the fatty acids keeps the prostate healthy and functioning properly.

But delivery of sperm is only one aspect of reproduction. Those little guys have a big job ahead of them. For fertilization to occur sperm must be strong, viable, plentiful, healthy and mobile.

There are two things that can lead to male infertility. One has to do with cholesterol and the other oxidation within the sperm.

Essential fatty acids and cholesterol make up a large part of sperm cell membranes. And over 60% of the fatty acids are DHA, which is an omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oil. [Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 4, 111-118]

And research shows that infertile men have a much lower level of DHA in their sperm cell membranes compared to fertile men.

So, DHA has a significant effect on the health and viability of sperm.

The amount of cholesterol in sperm is another telltale sign of infertility. The more cholesterol present, the more infertile he is. Some scientists believe this is caused by low fatty acids in the sperm. [Biology of Reproduction, vol. 59, 7-11]

Here's why. When there's not enough good fatty acids present in a man's body, cholesterol takes its place in the sperm membrane. This keeps the sperm from ever maturing properly.

In other words, low fatty acids cause a man to be shooting blanks.

But there's more trouble on the horizon. Immature and abnormal sperm cells create free radicals, which cause the oxidation and destruction of any normal healthy sperm cells. This also increases male infertility. [Current Medical Chemistry, Vol. 8, 851-862]

So, fish oil omega 3 fatty acids and male fertility are a perfect match.

When you increase your intake of essential fatty acids, especially omega 3 with DHA, fertility can only improve. It's that simple. And the only natural source for DHA is found in fish and fish oil.

Increasing fish oil intake greatly improves the effectiveness of sperm and, therefore, it greatly improves a man's odds of reproducing.


Related Tags: health, pregnancy, fertility, omega 3, fish oil, mens health, reproduction

Michael Byrd has over 18 years of education and experience in the fields of physical therapy, health, fitness and nutrition. His pursuit of wellness has led him to the many health benefits of fish oil and other natural whole foods that will help you to look younger, feel better and stay healthy. Request your Free nutritional CD at http://www.omega-3.us. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

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