20岁前吃垃圾食品损伤生殖能力

Teenage males following a junk food diet are causing irreversible damage to their sperm, a study has found.

Eating foods such as pizza, sugary drinks, chips and burgers can result in significantly low sperm counts compared to following a healthier diet.

The research, led by Harvard University, looked at nearly 3,000 men who had a compulsory medical exam before entering the Danish army for national service.

The average age among those tested was 19.

Researchers from the United States and Denmark found those men following a so-called “Western diet” of high-fat and processed foods had the lowest average sperm count.

On average, they had 25.6 million fewer sperm per ejaculation compared to those eating the healthiest diets.

While previous studies have focused on older men trying to conceive, this research shows some men have “clinically low” sperm counts despite being at their peak reproductive age.

What’s more, men eating junk food diets were found to have diminished levels of Sertoli cells — a type of cell contained in the testicles which is associated with producing healthy sperm.

Eating a junk food diet causes oxidative damage to these cells, it was found, and this cannot be reversed in later life.

The research was presented at the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual conference in Vienna last month.

Sperm counts have declined 59.3 percent among Western men from 1973 to 2011, according to a study by Hebrew University.

While the prevailing reason for this drop in sperm counts is unclear, researchers have suggested it is down to a mixture of chemical and pesticide exposure brought by modern lifestyles.

Men from Switzerland are among those with the lowest sperm counts in Europe, according to new findings.

Danish, Norwegian and German men were also found to have particularly low sperm counts.

According to the Harvard University study, eating a “prudent” diet high in fish, chicken, fruit and vegetables was associated with the healthiest total sperm counts.

A traditional vegetarian diet — rich in vegetables, soya milk and eggs — was the next best alternative for boosting sperm counts.

Other ways to boost sperm count include wearing loose-fitting boxer shorts and maintaining a healthy weight, according to science.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【主要的】zhǔyào de

prevailing predominant

【明智的】míngzhì de

prudent marked by wisdom or judiciousness

一项研究发现，男性在青春期吃垃圾食品将对精子造成不可逆转的损伤。相比吃健康食品，摄入披萨、含糖饮料、薯片和汉堡等食品将导致精子数量严重偏低。

哈佛大学领头的这项研究调查了近3000名在丹麦服兵役前参加强制体检的男性。

接受体检的男性平均年龄为19岁。

来自美国和丹麦的研究人员发现，吃高脂肪和加工食品等所谓“西方饮食”的男性精子平均数量最低。

平均而言，这些男性每次射精数量比饮食最健康的男性少2560万。

先前的研究关注的是想要孕育下一代的年长男性，但这项研究表明，尽管处于最佳生育年龄，一些男性的精子数量“临床结果很低”。

此外，研究发现，吃垃圾食品的男性塞尔托利氏细胞水平偏低。塞尔托利氏细胞是睾丸中所含的一种与制造健康精子有关的细胞。

研究发现，吃垃圾食品会对这些细胞造成氧化损伤，而且这些损伤无法在以后逆转。

上个月在维也纳举行的欧洲人类生殖与胚胎学学会的年会上提交了这项研究。

根据希伯来大学的一项研究，1973年至2011年期间西方男性的精子数量下降了59.3%。

尽管尚未弄清造成精子数量下降的普遍原因，但研究人员指出，这可能是由于接触化学物质和杀虫剂的现代生活方式。

新研究发现，瑞士男性是欧洲男性中精子数量最低的。

研究发现，丹麦、挪威和德国男性的精子数量也特别低。

根据哈佛大学的这项研究，吃鱼肉、鸡肉、水果、蔬菜等“谨慎的”饮食和最健康的精子数量有关。

传统的素食 —— 富含蔬菜、豆奶和鸡蛋—— 是提高精子数量的次优之选。

科学研究发现其他提高精子数量的方式包括穿宽松的平角内裤和保持健康体重。

(Chinadaily.com.cn)