[fb_button]

Unless you’re in the business of making babies and have encountered some snags along the way, this is not an issue many people are aware of, but varicoceles can make falling pregnant rather tricky.

Varicoceles are like a varicose vein in the scrotum, and when these are present they produce a lot of heat, which essentially cooks some of the sperm, resulting in impaired sperm morphology (odd looking sperm) and activity (they might swim in circles rather than a straight line).

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids make up a large part of the sperm function and structure, so we know that we need plenty of our Omega-3s for sperm health, but we’ve also realised that men with varicoceles have lower levels of Omega-3s and higher oxidative DNA damage compared to other males.

What can we do with this knowledge? Well it’s not a magic answer to the varicocele problem, but it does give us some insights into how we can help and possibly prevent them.

Aim to keep your omega 3 : omega 6 ratio in check, and consider supplementing with omega 3s (ensure you have a good quality product, if in doubt check with your practitioner).

Works Cited

The post Omega-3 deficiency may be involved in varicoceles. appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.