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News Bites: Recent Research Findings for Men

Men's Interest in Nutrition Increasing

Several years ago, a Men's Nutrition Survey reported that now more than ever, men are interested in nutrition for health. Of those surveyed, 42% said health maintenance and disease prevention were the most important reasons for eating right. Heart disease, certain cancers, stroke and diabetes are all linked to diet, and several of these diseases tend to hit men in their early 40s. Scientists are also reporting that pre-conceptual nutrition is important for men, so it's never too early to make healthy dietary changes. Recent research, for example, suggests that eating more whole grains and green leafy vegetables - a good source of magnesium and folic acid - is a great idea, as is consuming more colorful fruits and veggies for their healthful carotenoid content.

Folic acid and Healthy Sperm

Folic acid's role in reducing the risk of neural tube defects in infants has made this an important nutrient for women in their childbearing years. Now, the authors of a new study believe their findings are the first to indicate that folic acid could be equally important to fertility in men (1).

Researchers determined the total intake of the nutrients zinc, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene from food sources and from dietary supplements for healthy, non-smoking men. They then investigated the subjects' rate of aneuploidy. Aneuploidy is a term that refers to the changes in the number of chromosomes. Aneuploidy is linked to infertility and miscarriages as well as Down's syndrome. Between 1-4 % of a healthy man's sperm is thought to have some form of aneuploidy.

Men who had the highest folate intake (between 772 and 1,150 micrograms daily) had 20-30% lower sperm aneuploidy than those who consumed the least. Men who ate the most zinc and beta-carotene also had fewer instances of some sperm abnormalities, but not aneuploidy. It's known that diets low in zinc can reduce sperm counts, while excessive alcohol can reduce zinc levels even further. Keep in mind that this study does not prove that high folate intake causes the enhanced sperm quality, only that there was an association. But the relationship between folic acid and fertility is plausible and warrants further study in controlled trials.

More Magnesium for Fewer Strokes

Sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium have all been linked to blood pressure. Researchers set out to examine the link between these minerals and the risk of stroke in male smokers. Following over 29,000 men for 13 ½ years, they found that only magnesium lowered the risk of ischemic stroke, and that the risk reduction was more pronounced in men under 60 (2). Ischemic stroke is the most common kind of stroke, and it occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked. Magnesium did not seem to influence the risk for the less common type of stroke, hemorrhagic.

The relationship between magnesium and stroke makes good biologic sense according to the authors. In addition to lowering blood pressure, magnesium can influence cholesterol concentration or the body's use of insulin to turn glucose into energy. "Either of these mechanisms would affect the risk for ischemic but not hemorrhagic stroke. These findings are important because dietary surveys show that a large portion of adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium.

Lycopene and Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH)

Some, though not all, population health studies have reported a lower risk for BPH or prostate cancer with higher intake of lycopene, the carotenoid concentrated in tomatoes. Results of a new pilot study report that supplementation with lycopene slowed progression of BPH. Elderly men diagnosed with BPH were given 15 mg of lycopene or placebo daily for 6 months. Those receiving lycopene had a significant reduction of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and no further enlargement of the prostate as assessed by trans-rectal ultra-sonography and digital rectal exam. In contrast, placebo takers had no change in PSA while the prostate continued to enlarge (3).

References

1. Young SS, et al. The association of folate, zinc and antioxidant intake with sperm aneuploidy in healthy non-smoking men. Human Reprod Epub Mar 19, 2008.
2. Larsson S, et al. Magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium intakes and risk of stroke in male smokers. Arch Int Med 168:459-65, 2008.
3. Schwarz S, et al. Lycopene inhibits disease progression in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. J Nutr 1308:49-53, 2008.