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Coffee found to boost male fertility

It's common knowledge how coffee makes us work faster, think clearer and endure longer. But, our favorite caffeinated pick-me-up has now been found to enhance performance of another kind -- making men more fertile.

Just a few cups of coffee a day will not only keep you moving, but revs up the speed of sperm cells, according to Brazilian scientists at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. According to findings, the caffeine in coffee appears to make sperm cells move faster, potentially increasing the odds of pregnancy. Increasing the speed at which sperm swim -- or, their "motility" -- could offer a solution to millions of men who suffer infertility problems.

For the study, Fabio Pasqualotto and colleagues at the University of Sao Paulo tested the sperm quality of 750 men, including those who had never drunk coffee before as well as aficionados. While sperm motion and concentration remained steady, as did hormone levels, the motility of sperm was significantly higher in patients who drank coffee compared to those who did not. Since "hyperactivation" of sperm is, in fact, needed to fertilize an egg, the research team suggested that compounds with active components found in caffeine may be useful for treating some infertile men.

The Brazilian researchers assessed coffee-drinking and semen quality in men undergoing vasectomies from January 1999 to September 2002. The study results were presented at a meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio, where the effects of various drugs on male fertility were under review. Compared with other substances examined at the meeting, caffeine appeared to be the only substance that is good for sperm.

The study results were published in the latest issue of New Scientists.

Source: National Coffee Association of USA