According to a study by University of Illinois staff, omega-3 fatty acids have other health effects in addition to inhibiting the development of cardiovascular disease: they improve male fertility, says sexologist in Delhi.

“In our studies, we used special gene-treated mice that lacked an enzyme that is essential for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the absence of docosahexaenoic acid, male animals were infertile, producing few, and bizarre-shaped sperm that are infertile,” says Manabu Nakura, a nutrition researcher at the University of Illinois.

Omega-3 affects the sperm count of men

However, a DHA-containing diet completely restored fertility. The first study to support the direct importance of DHA for male fertility, despite some previous studies, has suggested that low levels of fatty acids may be associated with low sperm count and reduced mobility.

DHA is an essential ingredient in the omega-3 fatty acid family, including vegetable oils, soybeans, and canola, but is found in the highest amounts in fish oil.