• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 152 0

and longevity. One study looked at the impact of vitamin C deficiency on sperm clumping, a problem that contributes to infertility because sperm must swim alone in order to build enough momentum to penetrate and fertilize an egg. (The experts say that a clumped sperm figure of more than 25 percent often separates fertile from infertile men.) Researchers looked at thirty-five young men with high rates of sperm clumping; they found that all the men had low levels of vitamin C in their blood. But vitamin C offered a simple and effective cure: After just one week with a daily supplement of 1 gram of vitamin C, the men had normal levels of vitamin C in their blood and normal sperm motility.

Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have found that vitamin C also helps protect sperm’s genetic material—its DNA—from damage caused by free radicals in the body. To test the role of vitamin C on sperm, the researchers at Berkeley reduced the dietary vitamin C intake in healthy male subjects from 250 milligrams to just 5 milligrams per day. In response to this vitamin C deficiency, the vitamin C levels in the seminal fluid dropped by 50 percent and the number of sperm with damaged DNA shot up by 91 percent. When the men resumed their normal diet (which included 60 to 250 milligrams of vitamin C), the DNA damage to the sperm declined within one month. The bottom line: Vitamin C not only helps prevent infertility, it may also help prevent birth defects in offspring.

Be aware that the use of aspirin, alcohol, analgesics, antidepressants, anticoagulants, and steroids may reduce vitamin C levels in the body. Medications for diabetes and sulfa drugs may not be as effective when taken with vitamin C. Signs of vitamin C deficiency include scurvy, bleeding gums, loose teeth, slow healing, dry and rough skin, and loss of appetite.

GOOD FOOD SOURCES OF VITAMIN C

Rose hips

Fruits: oranges, pineapples, grapefruit, lemon, lime, kiwi, mangos, cantaloupe, cherries, papayas, strawberries, tomatoes

Peppers (red, yellow, and green)

Green vegetables, especially broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach

Avocados

Cauliflower

New potatoes

Onions

Radishes

Watercress

Calves’ liver

COUPLES

Take Up to 800 IU of Vitamin E Daily

Vitamin E is necessary for balanced hormone production in both women and men. It also helps the body form red blood cells, muscles, and other tissues, and it is necessary for the breakdown of fats.

Vitamin E has been shown to improve sperm count and motility. In the laboratory, it has been found to enhance the ability of sperm to fertilize eggs in test tubes. As an antioxidant, it also helps protect cell membranes-including sperm membranes—from free radical damage.

The body needs zinc to maintain the proper levels of vitamin ? in the blood, so you might consider taking supplemental zinc as well as vitamin E. People suffering from diabetes, heart disease, or thyroid disorders should not use this vitamin without consulting a physician.

GOOD FOOD SOURCES OF VITAMIN E

Note: Vitamin E is the only vitamin destroyed by freezing; it is also nutritionally diminished by exposure to extreme heat.

Wheat germ

Whole-grain cereals and breads

Green vegetables

Nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts

Vegetable oils

Take Up to 50 Milligrams of Zinc Daily

Zinc is an essential mineral for both female and male reproductive health. In women, zinc deficiency can lead to hormone imbalance, abnormal ovarian development, and menstrual irregularity. Once a woman is pregnant, zinc deficiency can also increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, pregnancy-related high blood pressure, and low-birth-weight infants.

In men, zinc is important for the healthy functioning of the prostate gland and the reproductive organs. This mineral is crucial for cell division, growth, and repair, and it plays a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and vitamins. Low levels of zinc can cause a loss of taste, delayed wound healing, and infertility.

Even mild