NEWSBRIEF - Fathers-to-be need folic acid too
An increasing number of couples have difficulty conceiving a child. A major reason for this is the declining sperm quality in men. Dutch researchers have just discovered that supplementing with a combination of folic acid and zinc can increase the sperm count in infertile men by as much as 74 per cent. "An importance advance", says Dr. Bruce Ames of the University of California who last year found not only that a folic acid deficiency is associated with low sperm count and quality, but that a lack of vitamin-C, especially in smokers, can lead to a poor sperm as well. Folic acid supplementation has also been found to reduce homocysteine levels and thus help prevent stroke and heart attack. There is also evidence that folic acid reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease and colon cancer.
New Scientist, March 23, 2002, p. 11