If you're trying to have a baby, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on your partner's cola intake, as a Danish researchers have found that big cola drinkers can have sperm counts up to 30 percent lower than normal.
Researchers at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, were looking for a link between caffeine and male fertility but found lower sperm counts were not the result of the caffeine in cola, as was previously thought, PhysOrg.com reported.
The researchers studied sperm samples taken from 2554 young men during their physical examinations for Danish military service between 2001 and 2005. The men were also surveyed regarding their intake of caffeine from various sources, including cola, and asked questions about their lifestyle and diet.
Results showed that those with low to moderate total caffeine intake and cola consumption (up to 800mg per day caffeine and up to 14 500ml bottles of cola per week) didn't display any lowering of sperm count. But those with a high intake of caffeine and cola (more than 800mg per day and more than 14 500ml bottles a week) did show a lower sperm count, although the figure was only significant for those who drank a lot of cola.
The 93 men who drank a litre or more of cola a day displayed a much lower count.
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The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology last month, found no link between caffeine from tea or coffee and lower sperm count. But researchers could not separate a possible ingredient of cola being the key driver from other lifestyle factors (such as not exercising or eating enough fruit), which are characteristic of people who drink a lot of cola.
Your say: Do you think that too much cola could affect a man's sperm count or that a generally unhealthy lifestyle could be equally important? Share your thoughts below.
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