Soy May Lower Sperm Count

In a new study out of the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers have found a link between soy consumption and sperm concentration. Although soy-based products such as tofu and energy drinks have become increasingly popular in recent years, there has not been a great deal of research on soy’s impact on the body. Preliminary research with women indicates there may be a link between soy and breast cancer in certain populations, so soy is not recommended as a staple of any diet.

In this study, the team surveyed the eating habits and tested the sperm concentration of 99 men who went to a fertility clinic between 2000 and 2006. The men reported the quantity and frequency in which they consumed products such as tofu, tempeh, soy or tofu meat products, soy-based dairy products, and soy energy bars, powders, and drinks. Then researchers divided the men into groups based on how often they ate soy products. The men in the highest group ate approximately 3-4 servings of soy per week, averaging half a serving per day.

This does not seem like an enormous quantity of soy; it’s less than one serving per day. However, when the researchers analyzed the data, they found that the men in the highest group had an average sperm count that was 41 million sperm per milliliter lower than the group that did not eat soy products. How much is 41 million sperm per milliliter, exactly? Well, normal fertility count ranges from 80 – 120 million sperm per mL, but counts less than 20 million sperm per mL are considered low. Although the study provided strong evidence for a link, further research must be conducted to determine implications for fertility.

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