The effect of dietary patterns on sperm quality and reproductive hormones: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

[eng] Dietary habits have worsened in the past years due to industrialization and food processing. Although there is limited information on the exact intake of today's individuals, it is evident that dietary trends are increasing the risk of obesity. Alongside this dietary decline, there has been a significant decrease in human sperm quality with sperm concentration and count dropping by about 50-60% in the past 40 years, raising concerns about the future of human fertility. This study aimed to compile and analyze existing evidence on the relationship between various dietary patterns and sperm quality and reproductive hormones in men. It includes interventional and observational studies from 2010 to the present that examined these relationships. A comprehensive systematic search was held according to PRISMA guidelines using the MEDLINE-PubMed database. All articles were assessed for quality following NIH "Quality Assessment Tool" guidelines. Meta-analysis results were expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs. A total of 27 articles, comprising data from 21,841 adult men, were included in the qualitative analysis. The findings indicated a positive association between healthy dietary patterns and testicular function. Of these, only 9 articles were included in the meta-analysis, as they used a priori dietary patterns as exposure. The results suggest a statistically significant positive association between the Mediterranean Diet and sperm total motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology.