Most Common Sperm-Killing Foods for Men (Photo Gallery)
I. Fried Chicken
Men who love barbecue in the summer should take note. Experts point out that barbecued and fried starchy foods contain the carcinogenic toxin acrylamide, which can lead to oligospermia and asthenospermia in men. Furthermore, heavy metals like cadmium and pesticide residues are also toxic to sperm.
Some studies have found that the reduction in sperm count and decreased motility in patients with oligoasthenospermia are related to a deficiency of the trace element zinc. Therefore, eating more zinc-rich foods like oysters, dried shrimp, animal liver, seaweed, sesame, peanuts, and beans can ensure "vitality."
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is an important method for treating urinary tract stones. However, foreign scientists who conducted semen analysis on patients receiving this therapy found a decrease in sperm motility and density. Therefore, vigilance should be exercised against iatrogenic damage.
Considerate reminder: In terms of diseases, varicocele can affect sperm production in the testicles, so patients with this condition should seek early diagnosis and treatment.
II. Beer
If you already have kidney disease and drink beer excessively without restriction, uric acid will deposit, leading to tubular obstruction and kidney failure.
If a blood test reveals kidney problems, it's likely that your kidney function is already severely damaged. Rather than waiting for a blood test to understand your kidney health, it's better to have regular urine tests, as urinalysis is the simplest and quickest way to assess kidney function.
III. Coffee
The reason coffee has a refreshing effect is because the caffeine it contains stimulates the human sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system controls all daytime activities; when stimulated, a person becomes more energetic and lively. The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is responsible for nighttime physiological functions, erections, and other sex-related activities, and it has an internal relationship with the sympathetic nervous system. When the sympathetic nervous system is active, the relatively weaker parasympathetic nervous system is suppressed, clinically manifesting as a decreased libido.
Considerate reminder: People who experience significant emotional fluctuations and have easily excited sympathetic nervous systems should avoid caffeine-containing beverages like coffee before sex, so as not to suppress the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce libido.
IV. Tofu
Men who love tofu and other soy products should be cautious. According to recent reports from multiple U.S. media, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health has once again confirmed that daily consumption of soy products can significantly reduce sperm count in men.
This study was completed by Dr. Jorge Chavarro from the Harvard School of Public Health. From 2000 to 2006, researchers followed 99 men. The findings were surprising: men who ate soy products daily had only 41 million sperm per milliliter of semen, significantly lower than men who ate fewer soy products. It is understood that a sperm count of less than 20 million per milliliter is considered too low and can easily lead to infertility. Furthermore, this link is more pronounced in obese men.
Chavarro believes that soy products have an adverse effect on the male reproductive system, especially sperm production. Soy and its products are rich in isoflavone phytoestrogens. If consumed in excess, they can naturally affect the level of male hormones in the body, leading to a series of adverse consequences.
Andrology experts in China have also suggested that excessive consumption of soy products can affect male sperm count. In the past five years, Pan Lianjun, an andrologist at the Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, has been paying close attention to this issue. He also found that men who frequently eat soy products have a 3.46 times higher chance of developing erectile dysfunction than those who don't.
Considerate reminder: Eating soy products in moderation is the best way to avoid potential health risks for men. "Moderation" means eating less than three times a week, with about 100 grams each time.
V. Milk Tea
Most pearl milk teas on the market are made from non-dairy creamer, food coloring, artificial flavoring, tapioca pearls (the "bubbles" in the tea), and tap water. The main ingredient of non-dairy creamer is hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is a trans fatty acid. Trans fatty acids reduce the secretion of male hormones and negatively affect sperm motility, interrupting the process of sperm reaction within the body.
Considerate reminder: In fact, many of the foods we often eat, such as biscuits, crispbreads, shortbread, chocolate, salad dressing, french fries, doughnuts, cream cakes, pancakes, potato chips, and fried instant noodles, all contain varying amounts of trans fatty acids.
VI. Pig Kidney
Many people love to eat animal offal, especially when barbecuing, "kidneys" are a favorite for many men. Recently, doctors in Taiwan have issued a warning: eating offal to supplement the body, beware of the heavy metal "cadmium" damaging sperm and causing infertility.
Liver, offal, pig testicles—for those who believe in "like cures like," be careful. Eating too much not only fails to nourish the body but may also lead to infertility. According to the latest research from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, pig, cow, and sheep livers and kidneys all contain varying amounts of the heavy metal cadmium. While people are nourishing their bodies, they are also consuming cadmium, which can very likely lead to infertility. If they are also smokers, the chance of infertility is as high as sixty percent.
Considerate reminder: These foods considered to "strengthen sperm" contain high levels of cadmium, which not only reduce the number of sperm but also affect the implantation of fertilized eggs. Due to the damage cadmium causes to chromosomes, the fertilized egg may not implant easily, affecting conception.