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Men should abstain from vegetarianism

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
 
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15 July 2013, 15:00

Statistics show that in the modern world there are a huge number of people who deliberately abandoned food of animal origin. The number of vegetarians is growing every day, as information about the dangers of meat food daily spreads with surprising speed. The bulk of the supporters of vegetarianism consists of young people aged 20 to 35 years. In the past several decades, scientific research has been regularly conducted to prove the benefits or harm of a vegetarian diet.

While scientists all over the world are trying to determine the effect of plant diets on the human body, experts from Western Europe have shown that vegetarianism can have a devastating effect on the male body, or more precisely, on its reproductive function. Experts believe that men who have decided to radically change their way of life, it is worth more time to study the nutrition system.

European scientists managed to prove that such popular meat substitutes as soy and derived products negatively affect the sperm state. Scientists believe that the lack of animal food in the body can also affect the motility of spermatozoa.

In the course of the study, experts conducted several experiments that proved the effect of soy products on the reproductive function of the male body. The experiment consisted in the fact that the volunteers were divided into two groups, one of which for several months was fed exclusively vegetable food and soy products, and the second - products that are familiar to any person, not excluding meat and fish. A few months later, each participant in the experiment was taken an analysis of sperm and blood. The results of the analysis showed that in men who ate soy products, the sperm concentration was lower. Physicians also noted that in men who are overweight, sperm counts were also below normal. Further investigation of the results showed that the main cause of deterioration of sperm quality is the active components of soy - isoflavones. These are natural chemicals that are found in soy, clover and other plants. The structure of these elements resembles the structure of estrogens - steroid hormones that produce female ovaries.

Some scientists believe that too many isoflavones, which are similar to female hormones, can lead not only to a deterioration in the quality of sperm, but also to infertility. Early studies of the effect of soybean on the animal body showed that with a lifestyle that implies a rejection of meat food, the quality of the sperm drops, and the probability of producing a healthy offspring decreases several fold.

Also, many nutritionists believe that vegetarianism is unacceptable for children under 16 years of age. In their opinion, at this age a person needs food of both vegetable and animal origin, and any restrictions in nutrition can adversely affect the development of the young organism. Pregnant and lactating women also should refrain from a vegetarian diet, because of their diet depends on the health of more than one person.

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