More on Folic Acid: Boosting Sperm Count

A daily dose of folic acid and zinc sulfate has been shown to boost sperm count in men by 74%. Dutch researchers had groups of men follow one of four daily-dose regimens: folic acid and zinc sulfate, folic acid alone, zinc sulfate alone, or a placebo.

At the end of 26 weeks, the subfertile men (those with a sperm count of <5 million/mL) who had taken both supplements showed a 74% increase in normal sperm and a 4% increase in abnormal sperm. Men in the fertile group (20 million/mL) who took either both supplements or zinc alone had a small increase in sperm count.

Commenting on the study, which was published in Fertility and Sterility (March 2002), William Keye Jr., MD, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said ?Both genetics and environmental influences play a part in the complex process of sperm production. The next step is to see whether the effects of nutritional supplements can result in any increase in pregnancy rates.?