Does Omega 3 Fish Oil Increase Semen Count?

Does Omega 3 Fish Oil Increase Semen Count?

People have a lot of questions about omega 3 fish oil. I thought this was one of the most interesting that I had seen. Until I did some research, I believed that the answer to the question, "Does omega 3 fish oil increase semen count?" would automatically be "No". But, what I found about the ongoing study of the relationship between increased consumption of omega 3 fish oils and semen count surprised me.

I use a database that publishes scientific research to try to answer questions about omega 3 fish oils and other health supplements. From what I can see, the majority of the research concerning omega 3 fish oil and semen production focuses on birds. Why? It seems that several kinds of birds (including chickens) have a decrease in sperm production at a very young age.

Nutritionists have known for some time that the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in the chicken that we eat is much lower in poultry raised in an enclosed environment than it is in free range chickens. Keeping poultry inside protects them from predators and diseases carried by wild birds, but the diet of a caged bird is quite different from that of a free range bird. When raised outside, chickens eat worms, grasshoppers, and other bugs, as well as their feed. Indoors, they exist primarily on a diet of corn, a diet that lacks long chain or omega-3 fatty acids.

So, in order to increase the fertility of poultry, researchers have focused on the idea of changing their feed, to include omega 3 fish oils, the best known source of long chain fatty acids. The results were positive. In poultry given the new feed, sperm counts and sperm motility increased. In study groups that were given the new feed along with vitamin E (also found in the better omega 3 fish oils) supplements, the amount of semen produced, the mobility of the semen and the fertility rate increased in the older birds that normally had lower sperm counts and were mostly infertile.

So, does omega 3 fish oil increase semen count and activity? Well, at least in chickens, it appears to. But, what does this mean to a man who has a low sperm count?

The most recent infertility studies have shown that sperm is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. To counter the effects of oxidative stress throughout our bodies, we take antioxidants. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. While, vitamin E can be toxic at certain dosages, the amount that is found in omega 3 fish oil supplements is safe for human consumption. So, omega 3 fish oil might help increase semen count, but it might not. There are not enough studies to make a definitive answer.

The best advice is that omega 3 fish oils are the best way to add long-chain fatty acids to our diets. The general health benefits of omega 3 fish oil supplements concern the heart, the brain, the skin, the joints, the digestive system and the eyes. Whether or not omega 3 fish oil can help increase sperm count remains to be seen, but there are many other good reasons to add it to your daily nutritional regimen. To learn more about omega 3 fish oils and how to shop for the safest supplements, please visit the Fish Oil Guide.