When it comes to producing healthy babies, the onus is usually placed on moms-to-be. Women hoping to get pregnant are urged to consume a nutritious diet - especially one rich in the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce the risks of certain birth defects. But a new and surprising study suggests that what the father eats may also play a big role in an offspring's well-being.
For the study, researchers at the University of California in Berkeley recruited 89 healthy male volunteers. The researchers assessed the men's diets and the quality of their sperm.
In particular, diets were checked for levels of both folate (which is found naturally in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and legumes) and folic acid (a synthetic form of the B vitamin added to a variety of foods such as white flour and pasta).
The results, published in the journal Human Reproduction, revealed that the men with the highest folate and folic acid levels had a 20 to 30 per cent reduced chance of producing sperm with chromosomal abnormalities.
The researchers point out these abnormalities can doom the prospects of a trouble-free pregnancy.
If a defective sperm fertilized an egg, it could result in either a miscarriage or a baby with a chromosomal disorder such as Down syndrome or other conditions leading to learning and behavioural problems.
"The emphasis related to the birth of a healthy baby has been weighted towards the health and diet of women," Brenda Eskenazi, the lead researcher, said in a statement released with the study.
"What we're finding now is that a nutritious diet, specifically folate intake, may be beneficial for men as well when it comes to producing healthy offspring."
The researchers stressed that a much larger study is still needed to confirm the new findings and establish optimum folate levels. Right now, the recommended daily intake for men over age 19 is 400 micrograms a day. The men in the study who had the fewest chromosomal abnormalities consumed between 722 and 1,150 micrograms of the vitamin a day.
WEST NILE WORRIES
Yesterday marked the first day of spring and that means another season of West Nile virus will soon be upon us. A study released this week provides a grim reminder that this mosquito-borne illness is no trivial matter.
Some people will suffer serious symptoms - including fatigue, difficulty walking, memory loss and depression - for many years after being infected, according to the study by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. In fact, a few people could be plagued by the infection's after-effects for the rest of their lives.
The finding, based on 108 patients observed over five years, was presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta.
Kristy Murray, who led the research, noted that the vast majority of people - 80 per cent - feel no ill effects from the infection, which is spread through mosquito bites. About 20 per cent experience mild flu-like symptoms. And a small minority - one out of every 150 infected individuals - has a massive attack that can lead to encephalitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the brain.
About 60 per cent of patients who reacted in a severe fashion had persistent symptoms a full year after the initial infection, the new research shows.
"Once they hit two years, it completely plateaus," Dr. Murray said in a statement. "If a patient has not recovered by that time, it is very likely they will never recover."
SPRING CLEANING
When you're doing your spring cleaning, don't forget to check the medicine cabinet. The annual ritual provides a good opportunity to get rid of expired medications. But old drugs shouldn't be flushed down the toilet or thrown in the regular garbage, experts warn.
Previous studies have already shown that trace amounts of potent pharmaceuticals are already ending up in our lakes and rivers, posing a potential threat to wildlife. What's more, drugs dumped in curbside garbage cans might get in the wrong hands - or paws. Some person, or animal, could be rummaging through your trash.
The Rexall chain of pharmacies, which includes Pharma Plus, has started a collection program for expired medications. People can now bring their unused drugs to the pharmacies and the medications will be disposed of in an "environmentally friendly" fashion, said Hilton Silberg, a Rexall spokesman and pharmacist in the Hamilton, Ont., area.
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