How Soft Drinks Affect Male Fertility, -Research

DIET indeed has a significant influence on our health, a fact that cannot be denied. What we eat and drink greatly affect not only physical health but also the ability to conceive. Consumption of soft drinks has a marked effect on fertility in both males and females.
Researchers, following a study in animals, even extrapolated that prolonged consumption of soft drinks is bad for male fertility. Its prolonged consumption has a stimulating effect on weight, with corresponding adverse effects on sperm production.
A global decline in total sperm counts, especially among men in western countries, continues to spark doomsday predictions. From chemicals in packaging to tight trousers, the decline in total sperm counts and quality has been attributed to multiple factors. High sugar intake as part of unhealthy modern lifestyles is also on the risk list.
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It is well noticed in society today that people consume drinks without giving due consideration to the quantity taken,
contents, the amount required by the body and the possible implications associated with excessive consumption.
The study, titled: ‘Adverse Effects of Excessive Soft Drinks Consumption on Male Fertility in Wistar Rat Models’ was in the March edition of the International Journal of Health & Medical Research.
Thirty-five male wistar rats were divided into five groups with the control groups administered with distilled water only and four other test groups administered with single dose (1.2ml) Coca-Cola, double dose (2.4ml) Coca-Cola (Cocacolax2), 0.6ml bullet drinks and 1.2ml sugar solution. Aside from the
administered samples, food and water were regularly kept at their disposals.
Bullet drink is a caffeinated energy drink. The absence of regulatory supervision has resulted in over indulgence in the marketing of energy drinks. The effect of caffeine from
naturally coffee, tea, cocoa and foods that contain these ingredients had not been fully elucidated.
The rationale behind the use of albino wistar rats for human studies is that they are physiologically similar to humans and are small, sociable and easy to handle.
The weights of albino wistar rats before and after administration were measured to ascertain the effects of the test samples on the mean weight difference as well as their mean relative weight difference.
In addition, sperm parameters like the sperm count, motility, viability and morphology were taken to ascertain the effects of the test samples on fertility in the study which lasted 40 days.
After 40 days of administration of the test substances, there was an increase in the average body weights in all soft drink administered test groups, compared to how it was in the
control group.
In relative terms, there were elevations in all relative body weights by 40.0 percent, 40.0 percent, 63.33 percent and
23.33 percent in single dose Coca Cola group, double dose group, bullet drink group and sugar solution group
respectively, compared to the control.
In the study, soft drinks administration insignificantly decreased the motility, count and viability with corresponding
increase in percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology.
According to the researchers, the increase in mean weight difference and their corresponding relative weight differences noted among the test groups suggest the premise that all test
substances generally and the bullet drink specifically, contain ingredients that cause voracious feeding resulting in increased obesity and marked weight gain.
They stated that the deleterious effects of the soft drinks on the sperm characteristics could be attributed to decreased and unfavorable sperm production activities in the testis and