Fish Consumption Once a Week Improves Sperm Quality and Testosterone Levels

Abstract

Background: The rate of male infertility has increased in the last decades. One factor that may improve sperm quality and testosterone is fish consumption, which supplies the organism with essential nutrients.

Aim: To determine evidence of a relationship between the frequency of fish consumption and sperm quality.

Methods: Seventy-four healthy men, aged 25–45 years, were involved in this observational study. Semen quality was evaluated by spermogram analyses and testosterone was measured in blood. Volunteers were classified as low, moderate, and high fish consumption groups according to the replies indicated in a questionnaire they had to fill out.

Results: The moderate fish consumption group showed better semen quality with all spermogram parameters in the reference range and the low fish consumption group manifested the worst semen quality with sperm morphology below the reference range. The low fish consumption group had lower testosterone levels (3.6 ± 0.9 vs. 4.3 ± 1.5; p = 0.04), decreased nonprogressive spermatozoa (11.9 ± 6.2 vs. 15.8 ± 8.2; p = 0.04), and lower semen volume (3.1 ± 2.0 vs. 3.6 ± 1.3; p = 0.06) compared to the moderate fish consumption group. Positive associations were detected between the frequency of fish consumption, the semen volume, and nonprogressive spermatozoa, respectively.

Conclusions: Fish consumption at moderate level such as once a week leads to improvement in sperm quality and testosterone levels.