Jeremy Groll, MD, is the chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

HAVING CHILDREN

“Fertility is perceived to be a female problem, when in fact a large percentage is due to male factors,” says Jeremy Groll, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and author of Fertility Foods. He estimates that men are responsible for up to 45 percent of delays in conception.

Unlike women, who are born with a fi xed number of eggs, men make sperm continuously, so their state of health and lifestyle can continually affect whether or not a pregnancy occurs. It takes roughly three months for each sperm to develop and mature, so expect results from supplements or lifestyle changes after three months.

These, says Groll, are some of the key male components that can hinder fertility:

Obesity: Fat cells send signals to the brain, which hinders production of sex hormones, thus interfering with libido and sexual performance as well as fertility.

Diabetes: The disease damages nerves, causing problems in sexual function.

Testosterone injections or steroids: Although these raise levels of testosterone in the body, they decrease natural testosterone production in the testes, which is necessary for fertility.

Too much exercise: Strenuous exercise, 10 hours weekly or more, can lower sperm count. However, 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, five days per week, and strength training twice per week can improve fertility.

Smoking and drinking: More than six drinks per week and any amount of smoking can hinder male fertility. Avoid both.

Selenium: Too much or too little can decrease fertility. The RDA, 55mcg, as a total from food and supplements, is considered optimal.

Saw palmetto: The herb can hinder sperm production.

To improve a man’s fertility, Groll recommends these supplements:

• Carnitines: 2g daily of L-carnitine and 1g daily of acetyl-L-carnitine.
• CoQ10: 100mg twice daily.
• Lycopene: 2g twice daily.
• Zinc: 250mg twice daily.
• Vitamin C: 90mg daily; 120mg daily for smokers.
• Vitamin E: 22–23 IU daily.

Anil Minocha, MD, is the director of digestive diseases and nutrition at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

STOPPING HEARTBURN

“Heartburn is a symptom of reflux,” says Anil Minocha, MD, a gastroenterologist and author of Natural Stomach Care. “Reflux occurs in everyone every day,” he adds, but not everyone experiences the unpleasant burning sensation in the center of their chest that may rise up to the throat. Heartburn is usually caused by acidic gastric juices moving up from the stomach into the esophagus; Minocha recommends these remedies:

• After meals: To stop heartburn, chew a mixture of roasted fennel and cumin seeds.
• Between meals: Eat a cup of unfl avored yogurt twice daily. Choose yogurt with at least 10 billion bacteria per serving and a variety of at least three types of live bacteria. For fl avoring, add banana, which feeds friendly bacteria, or sweeten with stevia. Don’t eat the yogurt with other food, sugar or other fruit because the ingredients will stimulate digestive acids that destroy the good bacteria.
• Aloe vera juice: Drink a cup twice daily.
• Chamomile tea: Drink it instead of soda, any time.
• Ginger tea: Brew your own. Cut a 1-inch slice of fresh ginger root and boil it for 20 minutes, add honey and drink it twice daily.

Omer Kucuk, MD,is an attending staff physician in the Harper and Detroit Receiving Hospitals at the Detroit Medical Center.

KEEPING YOUR PROSTATE HEALTHY

“Use common sense and have a healthy lifestyle,” says Omer Kucuk, MD, a medical oncologist and researcher at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. The same diet, exercise and weight control that will keep you healthy in all other aspects will also reduce your risk of prostate cancer. In addition, lycopene, abundant in tomatoes, offers protection.

“Lycopene is more available in cooked tomatoes, such as tomato sauce, paste or juice, but fresh tomatoes are also benefi cial,” says Kucuk. Based on research to date, he recommends getting two servings of tomatoes daily, as well as three other vegetables, plus fruits. “Tomatoes also contain other compounds that have a synergistic effect,” he says, “which makes the lycopene more effective.”

For benign prostate hyperplasia, saw palmetto and nettle root extracts have been found to reduce nighttime bathroom visits and other symptoms safely. Saw palmetto has also been used effectively by itself to treat the condition. If you and your signifi cant other are trying to have a baby, avoid saw palmetto (see Having Children, p. 47).

To reduce risk of prostate cancer: Try 5mg of a tomato extract such as LycoMato (this form of lycopene is sold in numerous supplements and has been used in studies on the nutrient).

For benign prostate hyperplasia: Try 320mg saw palmetto extract daily, alone or in combination with 240mg nettle root extract daily. Expect results in approximately six weeks.

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