Eating to support male fertility: what the research says

Fertility is a team sport, and it’s often only half the team that gets asked about food. The American Urological Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine say infertility is due in whole or in part to the male in about half of couples.1 So if you or your partner are trying to conceive, your eating is a fair thing to be curious about.

A note before we start: almost all of the research below is observational. It looks at what men eat and what their semen results look like, which shows a link, not a cause. Think of it as a few things worth knowing, and implementing if you can.

The big picture

A 2017 systematic review pulled together 35 observational studies on diet and male fertility. Diets rich in fish, vegetables and fruit tended to go with better semen quality, and processed meat, full-fat dairy, alcohol and sugary drinks tended to go with worse.2 The authors called for longer studies and trials to confirm it.2 The sections below look at the pieces.

Fats

• Trans fats. In a study of 209 young men, total sperm count fell as trans fat intake rose: the four groups, from lowest to highest intake, averaged 144, 113, 100 and 89 million.3 Trans fats are found mainly in some fast foods and packaged foods.
• Saturated fat. In a study of 99 men at a fertility clinic, those eating the most saturated fat had 43% lower sperm count and 38% lower concentration than those eating the least.4 Full-fat dairy and some meats are common sources.

Both were single studies that measured a moment in time, so they can’t show that changing the fat you eat changes the numbers.

Red meat

Across the 2017 review, high intakes of red and processed meat were among the patterns linked with poorer results.2 I haven’t found a study that says how much is too much, so I don’t have a number for you. Fish, poultry, beans and nuts are the swaps the studies lean toward (more on that below).

Alcohol

A meta-analysis of 15 studies (16,395 men) found that men who drank had slightly lower semen volume and a lower share of normally shaped sperm, with the difference clearer for daily drinking than for occasional drinking. It found that moderate drinking didn’t adversely affect semen parameters.5

Alcohol around fertility treatment is a separate question. In a study of 2,545 couples having IVF, women drinking four or more drinks a week had 16% lower odds of a live birth, and when both partners drank that much the figure was 21%. It was mostly about the woman’s drinking.6 If you’re heading into IVF, it’s a good thing to ask your fertility team: how much to cut back, and when.

Caffeine

This one is mixed. A review of 28 studies (19,967 men) found that usual coffee and caffeine intake didn’t significantly affect semen parameters, and called the overall findings inconsistent and inconclusive.7 Caffeine does affect sleep, though: in a small trial in adults, caffeine taken 6 hours before bed disrupted sleep.8 So the best reason to keep it to the morning may be your rest, not your sperm. And a coffee loaded with sugar is a sugary drink, which is the other category the big review flagged.2

Fish, fruit, vegetables and nuts

A 2018 review of the research suggested men may be encouraged to follow eating patterns built around seafood, poultry, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.9 That fits the 2017 review above, where fish, vegetables and fruit were on the beneficial side.2 Fruits and vegetables carry antioxidants, and antioxidant status in semen is something researchers look at, but I can’t point you to a study showing that eating more of them leads to a pregnancy.

A Mediterranean-style way of eating

A Mediterranean-style pattern puts fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains and olive oil front and centre.

• In 280 men at a fertility centre, men whose eating matched any of four healthy-diet scores had better overall sperm quality.10
• A 2025 review of 11 studies (2,558 men) found that sticking closer to a Mediterranean diet went with higher sperm count. Only one study had looked at fertility treatment results, and it found no association.11
• A 2025 trial in 159 men with low sperm counts found that two months on a Mediterranean-style diet led to greater improvements in semen results than the comparison group, and the authors say larger and longer studies are needed.12

So there’s a consistent signal on semen results, and a real gap on whether it changes the chance of a baby. That’s why I describe it as a way of eating many people enjoy and that suits most bodies, not as something proven to boost fertility.

What I left out

You might have seen claims that overeating, specific serving amounts or very low red meat intakes make a measurable difference. I couldn’t find studies to back those numbers, so they’re not here.

Where I come in

If you or your partner would like to look at the whole picture, including nutrition, labs, sleep and stress, you’re welcome to book a visit. Partners are welcome, and a male partner can come for a visit of their own. I work alongside your doctor and your fertility clinic, not in place of them. If it’s been a while, or semen testing hasn’t been done yet, ask your doctor about it; that’s the step that tells us the most.