The Bible has anecdotes of people using the gallbladder of fish to treat blindness. Your grandpa must have swallowed cod liver oil in his childhood to prevent rickets, a bone disease caused by vitamin deficiency. There seems to be an old connection between fish consumption and good health. Today, fish oil outranks herbal supplements in popularity. Fish oil has a never-ending list of benefits and a new study just gave us one more reason to add this supplement to our diet. Guess what? Fish oil helps boost fertility.

What Is The Link Between Fish Oil and Sperm Quality?

Researchers in Denmark studied 1,700 young men over a period of five years. They found out that men who took fish oil had a significantly higher sperm count and a higher volume of semen. A higher sperm count would automatically mean better chances of fertilising an egg. Male Infertility Causes: Is Your Laptop Damaging Your Sperm?

Surprisingly, men who took other supplements instead of the fish oil supplement showed lower sperm count and semen volume as compared to men who took fish oil. Interestingly, men who took multivitamins or B vitamins or C vitamin didn't have the same effect. Male Fertility: 7 Unhealthy Habits That Can Lower Your Sperm Count

How Do Fish Oil Impact Sperm Health?

Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish is critical to turning dysfunctional, round-headed sperms into strong swimmers. Docosahexnoic acid, also called DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid has been shown to improve sperm count and quality. DHA can be found in cold water oceanic fish and algae. Low blood levels of DHA was linked to decreased fertility in the past and DHA deficiency is common in men. So, if you think you can't get DHA from your diet, a fish oil supplement can be your best option. How to Increase Sperm Count with Diet: 10 Best Foods to Improve Men's Fertility and Sex Drive

Apart from taking fish oil supplement, reduce the omega-6 fatty acids in your diet and nix the trans fats that you commonly find in fast food and snacks. Trans fats can be terrible for your sperm so stop stuffing your mouth with potato chips and French fries. Time to clean up your diet, gentleman!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2020 01:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).