Do Popular Diets Impact Fertility?

Abstract

Infertility affects 15% of the population in developed countries, and its prevalence is increasing. Fertility can be influenced by different factors. Although key factors like maternal age cannot be changed, there is growing evidence that other modifiable factors, such as diet, can have an impact on fertility. Diet has become increasingly important in recent years for a number of reasons: the new trend toward a healthy lifestyle, the higher prevalence of certain digestive disorders, a lack of time that leads people to consume more prepared and processed food, and personal choice to not eat meat, among others. To meet these needs, several diets have recently become popular, such as the Mediterranean diet, known as the gold standard of health; the DASH diet, known for preventing hypertension; the Western diet, characterized by processed food; the ketogenic diet, characterized by low carbohydrate intake; and the vegetarian diet, which is the choice for people who do not eat meat or animal by-products. Diets present a unique composition characterized by the presence or absence of specific nutrients, which have also been associated with male and female fertility individually. This review assesses the impact of these diets and of macro- and micronutrients on both female and male fertility.