Men in the highest tertile of ultra-processed food consumption were associated with significantly lower sperm count, concentration, and motility, with each 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake corresponding to a reduction of 1.5 million sperm per ejaculate, according to a recent study. The findings, however, do not establish causation and should be interpreted cautiously.

The study evaluated the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and semen quality in healthy men. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 200 participants aged 18 to 40 years from the Led-Fertyl study, conducted between February 2021 and April 2023.

Using dietary data from a validated food frequency questionnaire, participants were categorized into tertiles based on UPF intake, which averaged 20.6% of daily energy consumption. Semen quality parameters—including total sperm count, sperm concentration, motility, and morphology—were assessed following World Health Organization 2010 standards.

Research, published in Human Reproduction Open, observed that higher UPF consumption was inversely associated with semen quality. Men in the highest tertile of UPF intake exhibited significant reductions in total sperm count (β: −1.50 × 10⁶ sperm per 10% energy increase; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −2.83 to −0.17), sperm concentration (β: −1.42 × 10⁶ sperm/mL; 95% CI: −2.72 to −0.12), and total motility (β: −7.83%; 95% CI: −15.16 to −0.51) compared with those in the lowest tertile. Theoretical substitution of 10% of UPF-derived energy with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with improvements in total sperm count (+1.78 × 10⁶ sperm; 95% CI: 0.29 to 3.27), sperm concentration (+0.89 × 10⁶ sperm/mL; 95% CI: 0.07 to 1.70), and motility (+5.80%; 95% CI: 1.27 to 10.34).

Although the study identified associations between dietary patterns and semen quality, its cross-sectional design precludes causal inferences. Measurement errors and reporting biases are potential limitations. These findings suggest that further longitudinal research is warranted to confirm associations and explore underlying mechanisms. Such investigations may provide additional insights into dietary factors and male reproductive health.

Full disclosures can be found in the published study.