Do you love desserts?
Well, most of us have a sweet tooth.
However, the extremity of any food intake can lead to an undesired outcome. As a matter of fact, most couples struggling with infertility know a lot about diet, but talking about nutrition it’s a big zero.
Recent Researches reveal that the higher consumption of sugar affects both male and female fertility.
Overview
Half of the time, couples keep searching for a magic ingredient in their diet that can help them with pregnancy. Notwithstanding, every food habit impacts fertility in both men and women.
Every micronutrient plays an essential role in developing healthy sperm and eggs.
Now, coming back to sugars and it’s consumption, it can lead to multiple disorders. Some of the commonly known issues due to adverse sugar consumption are diabetes, weight gain, increased heart risk, and the lesser-known truth is its impact on the male and female reproductive hormones.
Know-How, Sugar Intake is Related To Infertility Issues in Men and Women
Whether naturally or through IVF, a healthy egg and sperm are essential for pregnancy. Today, sugar intake has become the biggest enemy for maintaining good health.
The connection between sugar and fertility has been in discussion for a long. Let us check some of the studies that make the debate evident.
- As per the Harvard University Study of 2018, sugary drinks significantly affect fertility. In this case study, there were 3828 female and 1045 male samples. The research results clearly revealed that sugary drinks reduced the chances of conception in both males and females.
- According to National Health Science(NHS), UK, scientists reveal that sugar intake shall limit to only 5% calories of the entire food intake throughout the day.
- As per the Assisted Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) research-based meeting held in 2015, the IVF patients who replanned their diet and switched to low-carbohydrate and high-protein consumption, their blastocyte formation rate improved from 19% to 45%.
- Also, according to ASRM, the couples who minimised sugar intake, their clinical pregnancy rate improvised from 17% to 83%
- If the former details are not convincing, hear what the results from Boston University reveal. The study says that consumption of one single sugary drink per day reduces the fertility in women by one-fourth and that in men by one-third.
The research mentioned above is only a handful of studies that connect female and Male Infertility to sugar consumption; several others align with the same. However, there is not a single piece of evidence that can conclude Infertility in Women and Men does not relate to sugar consumption.
However, only saturated or unhealthy sugar intake is harmful; you can consume healthy sugars.
Understanding the Difference Between Healthy and Unhealthy Sugars:
- Healthy Sugars or Natural Sugars: Healthy sugars or Natural sugars refer to natural sweetening present in fruits and vegetables like carrot, beetroot, sweet potato, berries, mango, grapes, and more. However, the nutritional value of vegetables containing natural sugar is much higher than fruits.
So, whenever you crave sugars, you can consume natural sugar.
Added Tip: Fruit juice does not have any nutritional value like fruits and vegetables, so better consume raw fruits over juices.
- Unhealthy or Saturated Sugars: All the added sugars in the food turn into saturated fats and are harmful for consumption. If any of your food has a sugar content of more than 5g/100g, it is higher sugar levels. Avoid consuming such foods when you are trying to conceive.
Added Tip: To avoid infertility, both male and female partner should control their sugar intake. Irrespective of trying for conception naturally or through IVF Treatment, dietary habits matter.
Learn a Few Important Facts about Sugar Intake
- Blood sugar relates to the amount of glucose levels in the blood—the higher the blood sugar levels, the lower the energy in the body.
- Sugar consumption can further add to the issues due to hormonal imbalances like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), one of the leading causes of Female Infertility.
- An unhealthy diet increases or decreases blood sugar levels and causes infertility issues.
- A lower blood sugar level stimulates the release of stress hormones, leading to lower fertility and failed pregnancy results.
- Higher levels of blood sugar resulting from regular consumption of more sugars lead to an increase in insulin levels.
All these facts impact either Male Fertility, Female Fertility or both.
So, it’s always advised to control sugar intake and consume a healthy diet, whether or not trying for pregnancy.
How Does Sugar Intake Impact Fertility?
Lower blood sugar and higher blood sugar levels affect fertility adversely. Let’s continue with a further read to understand the impact and differences in fertility levels due to fluctuating sugar levels.
- Lower Blood Sugar Levels and Fertility: Lower blood sugar increases the release of cortisol and adrenaline stress hormones, and it further alters how the body responds to progesterone. The disturbance in progesterone levels highly affects the menstrual cycle, contributing significantly to pregnancy.
In short, we can say that low blood sugar levels significantly alter female fertility and might lead to Female Infertility in extreme situations.
- Higher Blood Sugar Levels and Fertility: Higher blood sugar results in higher insulin release in the body, and the insulin receptors might not work properly and, in specific situations, desensitise. The condition of insulin resistance in the body affects eggs in females and sperm in males.
If both the male and female partners have higher blood sugar levels, they might fail to conceive naturally and require Infertility Treatment.
Higher blood sugar also leads to weight gain and several other health issues, so limit your sugar intake.
What Can You Consume To Cut Your Sugar Cravings?
Well, none can cut down sugar intake completely, but limiting the portions is possible. Your first choice should consume natural sugar, including fruits, dried fruits, and vegetables, whenever you crave sugar intake.
Figs, dates, berries, raisins, and chia seeds are some of the yummy or, say, healthy options to satisfy your sugar cravings.
If you want to go for saturated sugar or sweets, you can consume it in small quantities once or twice a week, and all you need to do is limit the daily intake. Also, if you develop your taste for dark chocolate, it’s a good option.
Added Tip: Do not consume much sugar in tea and coffee.
Final Words:
Parenthood is a blessing, and any efforts made for the same can never be more. Moreover, shifting to a healthier lifestyle is good for overall health and not only to solve infertility issues.
Consider consulting fertility specialists if you are continuously trying for pregnancy and still cannot conceive.
Crysta IVF is the fertility network across India, with doctors having more than two decades of experience and a higher success rate for Infertility Treatment. So, Take a chance before losing hope.
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