Can The Keto Diet Help Boost Fertility?
You may have come across the many supposed benefits of fad diets while looking to maintain your wellbeing. Specifically, the ketogenic diet is popular among the masses because of how it can help balance blood sugar levels, prevent heart disease, reduce neurological problems, and even regulate hormones, according to Healthline. Many people also believe that the keto diet can do wonders for boosting your fertility.
WebMD defines a ketogenic diet as a diet that focuses on getting your fats from proteins instead of high-carb foods. Thus, the effort goes into producing and cooking meals containing healthy calories. The entire idea of a ketogenic diet is based on the process of ketosis. Once your body runs out of unhealthy carbs to get energy, it starts breaking down accumulated proteins and fats. As a result, this initiates weight loss. It's important to keep in mind, however, that the keto diet may only provide short-term results in terms of weight loss, warns WebMD.
Is the keto diet helpful for fertility?
A 2018 study published in AACE Clinical Case Reports indicated that the keto diet holds promising results for women experiencing fertility issues due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is among the main causes of fertility issues in women, per the Office on Women's Health (OASH). It's a hormonal imbalance disorder that occurs in the ovaries, leading to irregular or absent periods. It causes issues in producing the eggs needed for fertilization with sperm. It may also get worse if you gain weight, warns the study. However, the keto diet may make it possible to regulate your hormones, as this diet can help you achieve your weight loss goals and prevent hormonal issues, notes the research.
The keto diet may also be helpful for men. In an interview with Everyday Health, functional medicine expert Dr. Will Cole claimed that the current diet of males often interferes with healthy sperm formation. "The standard American diet, filled with refined carbohydrates and sugar, has been associated with poor sperm health, negatively impacting sperm motility, morphology [shape], and shape count," Dr. Cole told the publication. Thus, cutting down the sugar products and focusing more on healthy fat sources, such as nuts or seafood, can boost sperm count and help women get pregnant, reports Everyday Health.