Woman of childbearing age are commonly advised to consume folate in order to help prevent birth defects, should they conceive. Now it appears that men’s folate intake also affects reproductive health.
Low levels were linked with abnormal sperm.
In addition, folate (a nutrient also known as folic acid) has recently been shown to blunt the damaging effects of heart attack when given in short-term, high doses to test animals.
California researchers examined the sperm of men who consume less folate in their diets and found that healthy men who report lower levels of folate consumption have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm.
"Recent studies have suggested that paternal diet affects sperm count and motility, which is important for conception, but this new study takes it further to say that male diet may be important for healthy offspring as well," study coordinator Susanne Young says.
A separate study conducted by an international team of heart experts reports that rats fed 10 mg per day of folate for one week prior to heart attack had smaller attacks than rats that took no supplements.
The amount of muscle tissue exposed to damage and scarred by arterial blockage was reduced, on average, to less than a 10th.
"We want to emphasize that it is premature for people to begin taking high doses of folic acid," study investigator Dr. David Kass says.
"But if human studies prove equally effective, then high-dose folate could be given to high-risk groups to guard against possible heart attack or to people while they are having one."
Sources: University of California, Berkeley, Mar 19, 2008; John Hopkins Medicine, Mar 27, 2008
