Antioxidants, Sperm and Egg Health
Supporting egg and sperm health is vital for those looking to conceive any time in the future. Particularly as we get older (🙋🏻)
This blog we look at the role of free radicals and antioxidants on the impact on sperm and egg quality.
What is an antioxidant and a free radical? Well without getting to "sciency" free radicals, scavenge the body to seek out other electrons so they can become a pair. This causes damage to cells, proteins and DNA. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Antioxidants help protect the body from free-radical damage. Free radicals damage lipids, proteins, and DNA and trigger a number of human diseases
Excess free radicals will result in oxidative stress, so a source of antioxidants can assist in neutralising oxidative stress.
HOW ARE FREE RADICALS PRODUCED?
Just about everything we do creates oxidative stress!
(Source: http://www.geneactivatornrf2.org/depression-cancer-patients/)
Antioxidants and fertility
Diet influences the timing and maintenance of a viable pregnancy.
Free radicals have been shown as an underlying factor for endometriosis, ovarian cancer, polycystic ovary disease, and various other pathologies affecting the female reproductive process. It has also been shown to damage sperm DNA, generally affect male fertility and has been shown to have poor fertility outcomes for women.
Free radicals affect the reproductive organs and glands that produce reproductive hormones. If these cells are under attack then fertility is reduced. Damaged DNA is known to cause miscarriages or birth defects/developmental problems for the future child.
Oxidative stress and fertility impacts
Im convinced, so what do I do?
Make sure your diet is full of various colours of fruits and vegetables each and every day!
If you feel that your diet is lacking, or you find it too difficult to consume enough due to time or other pressures, consider a multivitamin. I take JuicePlus Juice Plus+ Berry Blend which adds nutrition from grapes and a wide variety of berries − including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bilberries, and elderberries − that provide some of the most powerful and healthful antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. Shoot me a message if you would like to do the same! I love JuicePlus as it is a whole food based health and wellness product.
Of course these are not a replacement to eating well, so following are some suggestions for foods full of antioxidants!
allium sulphur compounds – leeks, onions and garlic
anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
beta-carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach and parsley
catechins – red wine and tea
copper – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
cryptoxanthins – red capsicum, pumpkin and mangoes
flavonoids – tea, green tea, citrus fruits, red wine, onion and apples
indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
isoflavonoids – soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas and milk
lignans – sesame seeds, bran, whole grains and vegetables
lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn
lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
manganese – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
polyphenols – thyme and oregano
selenium – seafood, offal, lean meat and whole grains
vitamin A – liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks
vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
vitamin E – vegetable oils (such as wheatgerm oil), avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
zinc – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
zoochemicals – red meat, offal and fish. Also derived from the plants that animals eat.
(Info obtained from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants)
Happy eating!! 🍴☀️️
