Walnuts improve sperm quality

Many are the properties and health benefits of walnuts, among some of them walnuts are known to lower cholesterol levels, they are also a rich source of vitamin E, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols, polyphenols, carotenoids, and melatonin. Another important role of some active constituents found in walnuts is the fight against neurodegenerative disease...etc. Walnut consumption was also linked to a significant reduction of tumor incidence on MDA-MB 231 human breast cancers.

However, it wasn't until now that a study by UCLA School of Nursing shows walnuts improve sperm quality. As the study shows, eating two handfuls of walnuts a day may improve men fertility as walnuts improve semen quality in men consuming a western-style diet, as published in the Journal of Biology of Reproduction.

JUGLANS REGIA

Family: Juglandaceae
Genus: Juglans
Common name: Persian walnut, English walnut, common walnut, Juglans duclouxiana, Juglans fallax, Juglans kamaonica, Juglans orientis, Juglans regia kamaonica, Juglans regia orientis, Juglans regia sinensis, Juglans sinensis.

The study started by the hypothesis that 75 gm of whole-shelled walnuts a day added to a Western-style diet of healthy young men would beneficially affect semen quality, and it was conducted among 117 healthy men, age 21-35 years, who routinely consumed a Western-style diet[1], the results are more than surprising:

The group consuming walnuts (59 individuals) experienced improvement in sperm vitality, motility, and morphology and the group continuing their usual diet but avoiding tree nuts (58 individuals) saw no change.

WALNUTS ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS

Walnuts are also a very rich source of bioactive molecules and active constituents. They are rich in carotenoids, phenolic acids,phytosterols and polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids,proanthocyanidins and stilbenes [2], as well as in phytosterols, an active constituent found also in Sunflower seeds that helps to lower cholesterol levels.

Most of the active constituents found in tree nuts have been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, antiviral, chemopreventive andhypocholesterolaemic actions [2], most of them playing a very important role on the development of some important ailments.

REFERENCES

[1] Walnuts Improve Semen Quality in Men Consuming a Western-Style Diet: Randomized Control Dietary Intervention Trial.
Robbins WA, Xun L, Fitzgerald LZ, Esguerra S, Henning SM, Carpenter CL.

[2] Tree nut phytochemicals: composition, antioxidant capacity, bioactivity, impact factors. A systematic review of almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts.
Bolling BW, Chen CY, McKay DL, Blumberg JB.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, 3624 Horsebarn Road Extension, Unit 4017, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.

[3] Plant names in other languages: Porcher Michel H. et al. 1995 - 2020, Sorting Origanum Names. Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database - A Work in Progress. Institute of Land & Food Resources. The University of Melbourne. Australia.   < http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Origanum.html > (2007).