Eating Walnuts Improves Sperm & Fertility

In our book Sex & Fertility: Natural Solutions, we say that nuts and seeds are helpful for the male sexual system because they are high in zinc, essential fatty acids, fiber and other nutrients. The essential fatty acids, we say, are essential for normal glandular functioning and activity in the reproductive system.

A study on walnuts bears this claim out. Walnuts, it turns out, are good for sperm and for male fertility. . . .

This study looked at 117 healthy men between the ages of 21 and 35. All of them ate a standard western diet. The study was single-blinded, meaning that, although, obviously, the group eating the walnuts knew they were eating walnuts, the researchers assessing the results didn’t know which was the walnut eating group.

Half the men at 75g of whole walnuts a day; half didn’t and abstained from eating tree nuts. The men who were eating the walnuts had significant improvement in sperm vitality, motility and morphology. The men who didn’t eat walnuts had no improvement. “Motility” refers to the sperm’s crucial ability to move on its own and “morphology” refers to the shape and physical characteristics of the sperm. That means that eating walnuts should translate into a better chance of conceiving.

Levels of serum omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids improved significantly in the walnut group but not the no-walnut group.

Biol Reprod 2012;87:101-8

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For much more on libido and sexual function, see our book, Sex & Fertility: Natural Solutions

The Natural Path is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For health problems, consult a qualified health practitioner for a comprehensive program.