This article originally appeared in Gateway 978 by Aston Avery.
Tomatoes Could be Key in Tackling Male Infertility
For the first time in history, male fertility issues are equal to women’s. According to the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Authority, the body responsible for governing the IVF industry in the UK, they now account for 50% of all identified issues leading to IVF referrals. A further study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has also shown that the sperm concentration of men in Western countries has dropped by more than 50% in under 40 years.
Last year a study published in Human Reproduction Update found sperm counts had halved in Western countries since 1973. The author, Hagai Levine of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, warned that declining sperm count is the “canary in the coalmine,” alerting us to an impending epidemic of male infertility. In Fertility Network UK’s research on male infertility, released in 2017, 93% of men surveyed stated their wellbeing had been impacted by fertility issues, and they reported fertility issues to be emasculating, distressing and isolating, harming their self-identity, and causing stress.
However, according to new research by the University of Sheffield, sperm quality can be improved with a simple diet supplement containing a compound found in cooked tomatoes.