By ; Nahla Muqalad
Studies have suggested that male infertility affects almost 40% of the couples who are struggling to conceive naturally and sperm issues such as low count and poor quality are said to be the most frequently seen causes of this condition.
Extensive research on male infertility continues and, recently, a new report has presented an improbable ally that may help the issue. As per the report conducted by the University of Sheffield in the UK, lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, can help boost sperm quality. The findings came after researchers noted a higher proportion of healthy-shaped sperm with motility in those who took lycopene during their experiment.
Dr Laura Melado, IVF Specialist, IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic, an institution that runs state-of-the-art-facilities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE and Muscat in Oman, said, “this is a good development in our endeavour to fully understand male infertility amidst its continued rise worldwide. This study is indeed insightful given that sperm-related infertility challenges around 40 percent of couples who are having problems getting pregnant naturally.”
“Through this new finding, we will be able to share this nutritional fact with couples and achieve better outcomes. Men with poor sperm quality may even try to consume the recommended amount of antioxidants in their daily diet,” Dr Laura said.
According to Prof. Dr. Human Fatemi, Medical Director of IVI clinics in the Middle East, motility problems and abnormalities in the shape or vitality of the sperm might be caused by low production, infections or alterations in the number of chromosomes and DNA fragmentation. Besides the more prominent causes like consanguinity, Vitamin D deficiency and obesity, other prevalent medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and kidney disease can have a similar effect, as can certain medications, drug use, tobacco, and stress.”
Men are advised to perform sperm analysis to correctly and accurately determine their condition. Results from the sperm analysis procedure are normally available within a couple of days and tests may be repeated to confirm the findings. Dr. Laura further mentioned that having sperm issues is a commonly encountered situation with good possibilities to be solved, including in vitro fertilisation and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
