Tofu Eats Your Sperm
In case you hadn't heard, there's a study that finds some detrimental side-effects to the sperm of male vegetarians. Jake Smith writes for NetShark/FoodBeast:
In an experiment done by researchers at Loma Linda University, 443 meat-eaters and 31 vegetarians and vegans were monitored between 2009 and 2013. They initially assumed vegetarians' sperm would be healthy, but here's what they found, according to lead study author Eliza Orzylowska:
"We found that diet does significantly affect sperm quality. Vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with much lower sperm counts than omnivorous diets. Although these people are not infertile, it is likely to play a factor in conception, particularly for couples who are trying to conceive naturally, the old-fashioned way."
They also found that vegetarians had 30 percent lower concentrations of sperm (50 million per milliliter versus 70 million) and that their sperm was also weaker in terms of movement. For vegetarians, only 30 percent of their sperm were active, as compared to 60 percent of their meat-eating counterparts.
...One of the theories they came up with blamed vegetarians' high consumption of soy. ...Another explanation was the shortage of vitamin B12 in a vegetarian/vegan diet. B12 helps break down estrogen, which helps maintain a high sperm count. This vitamin is found mainly in beef and fish.
Think you can get B12 in your vegan or vegetarian diet by supplementation? Chris Kresser says think again -- about the B12 and a bunch of other vitamins and nutrients. For example:
Fat-soluble vitamins: A and D Perhaps the biggest problem with vegetarian and vegan diets, however, is their near total lack of two fat-soluble vitamins: A and D. Fat-soluble vitamins play numerous and critical roles in human health. Vitamin A promotes healthy immune function, fertility, eyesight and skin. Vitamin D regulates calcium metabolism, regulates immune function, reduces inflammation and protects against some forms of cancer.These important fat-soluble vitamins are concentrated, and in some cases found almost exclusively, in animal foods: primarily seafood, organ meats, eggs and dairy products. Some obscure species of mushrooms can provide large amounts of vitamin D, but these mushrooms are rarely consumed and often difficult to obtain. (This explains why vitamin D levels are 58% lower in vegetarians and 74% lower in vegans than in omnivores.) (12)
The idea that plant foods contain vitamin A is a common misconception. Plants contain beta-carotene, the precursor to active vitamin A (retinol). While beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in humans, the conversion is inefficient. (13) For example, a single serving of liver per week would meet the RDA of 3,000 IU. To get the same amount from plant foods, you'd have to eat 2 cups of carrots, one cup of sweet potatoes or 2 cups of kale every day. Moreover, traditional cultures consumed up to 10 times the RDA for vitamin A. It would be nearly impossible to get this amount of vitamin A from plant foods without juicing or taking supplements.
Got steak?
male tofu eaters are suddenly very appealing to my womb.
Ppen at October 27, 2014 12:55 AM
Vegetarian – n. – ancient Indian word, meaning, "brave who cannot fish, ride or hunt."
Radwaste at October 27, 2014 7:02 AM
Nicely said, Ppen.
(Of course, even men who don't relish the idea of fatherhood don't want their sperm damaged either, but still...)
What the American man often doesn't realize is that if he thinks he just might be perfectly happy living the childfree life, forever, there are MANY childfree women waiting to meet him and share that life with him. He just has to play his cards right. If he wants a long-term relationship, one thing to do, IMO, is start looking before age 25, if only because he doesn't want to wake up and find himself surrounded by single/divorced mothers. (It can happen earlier than you think.)
But, I have no idea just how one should phrase the statement "I am looking for childfree women" on a dating website. If you phrase it the wrong way, I suppose it could backfire, since there are many women who think THEY can always change a man's mind, given the chance.
lenona at October 27, 2014 4:03 PM
I thought of one possible way to phrase it:
"I am looking for women who are proud to be childfree."
Or maybe "carefree"? As in "proud to live a carefree life, with only one's career"?
If anyone can think of a better way to say it, let us know.
lenona at October 28, 2014 1:30 PM
When it comes to choosing between Scott Adams and Amy Alkon, I'll stick to the person who is genius enough to come up with something as awesome as Dilbert and who does not use his blog as a propaganda machine for his dietary habits.
Redrajesh at October 31, 2014 10:05 AM
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