Researchers studied whether eating foods that cause inflammation in the body might affect sperm quality in men. They looked at the diets of Iranian men and measured how inflammatory their eating patterns were using special scoring systems. The study found that men who ate more inflammatory foods had lower sperm counts compared to men who ate less inflammatory foods. While this is interesting, the researchers note that more long-term studies are needed to fully understand this connection and whether changing diet could actually improve fertility.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating foods that cause body inflammation is connected to lower sperm quality and male infertility
  • Who participated: Iranian men; the exact number of participants wasn’t specified in the abstract, but researchers compared men with different eating patterns
  • Key finding: Men who ate the most inflammatory foods were about 3.7 times more likely to have abnormally low sperm counts compared to men who ate the least inflammatory foods
  • What it means for you: If you’re a man concerned about fertility, eating less inflammatory foods might help sperm health, though this research is early-stage and more evidence is needed before making major diet changes

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers took a snapshot in time of men’s diets and sperm quality rather than following them over years. They used three different scoring systems to measure how inflammatory each man’s diet was: the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP), and the Dietary Inflammation Score (DIS). These tools look at what people eat and calculate a score based on whether their foods tend to increase or decrease inflammation in the body.

The researchers then compared sperm quality measurements between men with different dietary inflammation scores. They divided men into groups based on their scores and looked for patterns. They also adjusted their analysis to account for other factors that might affect sperm quality, like age or lifestyle habits.

Understanding what we eat and how it affects our bodies is important for health. If diet really does impact fertility, this could be something men can control without medical treatment. This type of study helps identify possible connections that researchers can then study more carefully in the future.

This study has some important limitations to understand: it only shows a connection between diet and sperm quality at one point in time, not whether changing diet actually improves fertility. The study was done in Iran, so results might not apply equally to all populations. The researchers didn’t specify exactly how many men participated, which makes it harder to judge how reliable the findings are. Most importantly, this type of study can’t prove that inflammatory foods cause low sperm counts—only that they appear together.

What the Results Show

Men who ate the most inflammatory foods (highest third of the Dietary Inflammatory Index) had about 3.7 times higher odds of having abnormally low sperm concentration compared to men who ate the least inflammatory foods. Men in the middle group also showed increased odds (about 3.2 times higher) of low sperm concentration.

However, when researchers looked at other measures of sperm quality—like sperm movement or shape—they didn’t find clear connections to inflammatory diets. This suggests that inflammatory eating patterns might specifically affect how many sperm are produced, but not necessarily their movement or appearance.

The findings suggest that following a diet that promotes body inflammation appears to negatively impact sperm production. The researchers used multiple measurement tools to assess dietary inflammation, and the results were consistent across these different approaches.

While the main finding focused on sperm concentration, the study looked at several other sperm quality measures. These other parameters (such as sperm motility and morphology) did not show statistically significant associations with dietary inflammation scores in the adjusted analysis. This means the connection between inflammatory diet and fertility problems may be more specific to sperm count rather than affecting all aspects of sperm health.

This research adds to growing evidence that diet and inflammation play roles in reproductive health. Previous studies have suggested that inflammation can harm fertility, and this study provides specific evidence about dietary patterns. However, most previous research on diet and male fertility has focused on individual nutrients or foods rather than overall inflammatory patterns, so this approach offers a newer perspective on the topic.

This study has several important limitations: First, it’s a snapshot study, not a long-term follow-up, so we can’t know if changing diet would actually improve sperm quality. Second, the sample size wasn’t clearly reported, making it hard to judge how reliable the results are. Third, the study was conducted in Iran, so the findings might not apply the same way to men in other countries with different diets and genetics. Fourth, the study can only show that inflammatory diets and low sperm counts appear together—it cannot prove that the diet causes the problem. Other factors not measured in the study could explain both the dietary pattern and the sperm quality issues.

The Bottom Line

Based on this early-stage research, men concerned about fertility might consider reducing inflammatory foods (like processed foods, sugary items, and certain oils) and eating more anti-inflammatory foods (like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish). However, this recommendation comes with low-to-moderate confidence since this is one cross-sectional study. Men with fertility concerns should discuss dietary changes with their doctor or a fertility specialist before making major changes.

This research is most relevant to men who are concerned about fertility or who have been diagnosed with low sperm count. Men planning to have children might find this information useful. However, this study shouldn’t alarm men who eat inflammatory foods—many factors affect fertility, and diet is just one piece of the puzzle. Women and people without fertility concerns don’t need to change their behavior based on this single study.

If diet does affect sperm quality, changes would likely take several months to show up, since sperm production takes about 74 days. So any improvements from dietary changes wouldn’t be visible in sperm tests for at least 2-3 months, and possibly longer.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily inflammatory food intake by logging meals and marking them as ‘anti-inflammatory’ or ‘pro-inflammatory’ based on food type. Monitor sperm quality metrics (if available through medical testing) every 3 months to see if dietary changes correlate with improvements.
  • Replace one inflammatory food choice per day with an anti-inflammatory alternative—for example, swap sugary snacks for berries, or replace processed oils with olive oil. Use the app to set daily reminders to choose anti-inflammatory foods and track your progress.
  • Create a monthly dietary inflammation score by logging food choices, then correlate this with any available sperm quality test results from your doctor. Track energy levels and general health markers alongside dietary changes to see broader health impacts.

This research is preliminary and shows only an association between inflammatory diets and sperm quality, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Men with fertility concerns should consult with a healthcare provider or fertility specialist before making significant dietary changes or starting any treatment. Individual results may vary based on genetics, overall health, and other lifestyle factors. This study was conducted in a specific population and may not apply equally to all men.