WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANT RICH FOODS?
Antioxidants are substances produced in the body and which can also be obtained from diet and other supplements. They are beneficial to the body, as they can lessen damage to cells caused by free radicals which the body produces due to environmental and other pressures, leading to oxidative stress.
What are free radicals? They are single atoms caused by the splitting of oxygen in the body. They need to be paired with electrons and so these atoms, known as free radicals, search out other electrons to pair with. This results in damage to cells, proteins and DNA which then becomes a health hazard.
For proper body function, there needs to be a balance between free radicals and oxidants, to reduce this oxidative stress which is linked to male infertility and reduced sperm motility. One of the methods to do this is to consume antioxidant rich foods.
Vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C and Beta-carotene are some of the main antioxidants. Food supplements like selenium, zinc, carthinine, vitamin B12 have proved to help male infertility by increasing the sperm count and motility.
There are various healthy foods which are high in antioxidants. A few are listed below:
- Dark Chocolate
- Berries – Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries
- Artichokes, Leeks, Onions and Garlic
- Brinjal, Pumpkin, Carrots, Tomatoes, Red capsicum, Peas, Beans, Beetroot
- Tea, Green Tea, Coffee
- Soybeans, Tofu, Lentils
- Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
- Seafood
- Nuts, seeds and whole grains.
The list goes on and on, but some of the more common food items are mentioned above.
There is a bit of a controversy about Milk. Some tests have revealed that mixing milk with tea, coffee, fruit (like berries etc) reduces the antioxidant capacity, whereas other tests have shown that there is no effect, or sometimes even a positive effect of Milk on the antioxidant capacity.
Defective sperm production leading to lower sperm counts is one of the main causes of infertility. According to several studies, one of the crucial factors for successful fertilization and normal embryo development is the sperm DNA integrity. However, sperm oxidative stress has proved to reduce sperm motility and to cause DNA damage which increases the risk of infertility. One of the major causes of Sperm DNA Fragmentation is due to increased oxidative stress due to the presence of free radicals and lack of sufficient ant-oxidants in the body.
Hence, to combat the oxidative stress, antioxidants are helpful to bring about a balance and increase the sperm motility and sperm count while not causing damage to the DNA.
Since the natural way to increase antioxidants in the body is the best, consuming antioxidant rich foods would be one of the most effective, anti-medicinal methods to do this.
To test the semen and the sperm DNA quality, Andrology Center offers both a basic semen analysis and a more advanced Sperm DNA Fragmentation test which help couples trying to conceive in deciding the most successful fertility treatment to be undertaken and also provides answers for previous failed fertility treatments. Please contact Andrology Center on info@andrologycenter.in or call +91 9443793934 to get more information or to make an appointment.
