Can rooibos improve male fertility?

June is National Men’s Health Month, and this year the spotlight is on male fertility. 

Male fertility has reached an all-time low, with studies revealing that sperm levels in men have almost halved over the past five decades. 

A University of Copenhagen study revealed that the average sperm count in men is about 60-million per ml - a huge drop from 100-million per ml in the 1940s.

According to the SA Rooibos Council, some studies have also revealed that around 20% of men, aged between 18 and 25, have sperm counts below 20-million per ml. 

South African men are also struggling with infertility. It's the reason why 40% of couples in SA are unable to conceive.  

Experts believe changing to a healthy lifestyle by eating right, exercising, and quitting smoking, could help improve male fertility issues. 

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The SA Rooibos Council's Adele du Toit says rooibos, which is high in antioxidants, has also been proven to be a natural remedy to help men battling infertility. 

Cape Peninsula University of Technology's (CPUT) Biomedical Sciences department tested the effects of several teas, including red rooibos, green rooibos, Chinese green tea, and commercial rooibos on rat sperm. Green tea supplements were also used in the study. 

It found that male rats that were given red and green rooibos had a much higher sperm count. 

“Another study, also conducted by CPUT on diabetic rats – a condition which is often associated with male reproductive concerns, such as low sperm count – again confirmed rooibos’ beneficial effect on sperm quality. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, which causes degenerative problems at a cellular level on a variety of tissues, from organs to sperm. Although both studies were conducted in rodents, rooibos could potentially have the same positive effect in men,” says du Toit.

She added that “quercetin”, a powerful antioxidant found in rooibos, is also known to prevent a "wide variety of heart conditions".

“The bottom line is that if you drink rooibos, you’re going to reap multiple health benefits and every man should consider it an important beverage that is vital for a healthy lifestyle.”

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