Male Infertility and Diet: A Perspective of Traditional Persian Medicine

Babak Daneshfard1, 2, Amir-Mohammad Jaladat2, 3

1 Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Essence of Parsiyan Wisdom Institute, Phytopharmaceutical Technology and Traditional Medicine Incubator, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Dear Editor

It was interesting for us to read the paper titled: “Dietary Nutrients and Male Infertility: Review of Current Evidence” [1]. As declared by the authors, diet as the main part of lifestyle could seriously affect fertility; the fact that has attracted more attention in recent studies.

Unfortunately, male fertility has decreased in recent decades due to the reduction in sperm quality and quantity which is not irrelevant to lifestyle changes. Indeed, nutritional approach which is considered in idiopathic male infertility is the basis of treatment [2].

Based on the holistic approach of Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), nutrition plays a fundamental role in a healthy lifestyle [3]. In the perspective of this school of medicine, semen is the final product of metabolic chain in reproductive system [4]. Accordingly, malnutrition and/or low quality of diet on the one hand and maldigestion on the other hand could negatively affect both fertility and potency. In this regard, Avicenna and other TPM sages believed that the main strengthening factor of sexual power is nutrition which could increase the quality and quantity of semen providing aphrodisiacal effects [5, 6]. They emphasized that foods which are flatulent, highly nutritious, and have a hot and wet temperament are aphrodisiac [7, 8]. For instance, a traditional formulation of such foods, called Loboob, has clinically been proved to be effective in the treatment of male infertility [2, 9].

According to the aforementioned, it seems that diet modification and improving digestion should be considered as the initial steps in treating infertility; the strategy that not only is supported by TPM main sources and our own clinical experience, but also is based on the current evidence [10].

[GMJ.2016;5(2):103-4]

References
  1. Hosseini B, Djafarian K. Dietary Nutrients and Male Infertility: Review of Current Evidence. GMJ. 2015;4(4):123-29.
  2. Sohrabvand F, Mahroozade S, Bioos S, Nazari SM, Dabaghian FH. Improvement in Sperm Parameters With Traditional Iranian Remedy A Case Report. J J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2016; 2016(2016):2156587215627536.
  3. Nimrouzi M, Zare M. Principles of nutrition in Islamic and traditional Persian medicine. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine. 2014;19(4):267-70.
  4. Ibn-Nafis. Sharh al-Qanun (Description of Canon). Tehran: library of Iranian Islamic Parlement; 1842.
  5. Ghadiri MK, Gorji A. Natural remedies for impotence in medieval Persia. Int J Impot Res. 2004;16(1):80-3.
  6. Jaladat AM, Tonsaz M, Attarzadeh Z, Attarzadeh F. Sexual Ethics in Iranian Medicine. Islamic Lifestyle Centered on Health. 2013;1(3):43-7.
  7. Ibn-Sina. Qanun fi al-Teb (Canon of Medicine) Beirut: Al-Elmi Lel-Matbuat; 2005.
  8. Nejatbakhsh F, Nazem E, Goushegir A, Isfahani MM, Nasrabadi AN, Siahpoosh MB. Recommended foods for male infertility in Iranian traditional medicine. Iranian journal of reproductive medicine. 2012;10(6):511.
  9. Bioos S, Nazem E, Keshavarz M, Siahpoosh M, Sohrabvand F, Sohanaki H et al. A Traditional Iranian Medicine (Majoon-e Loboob) for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Case Series. Traditional and Integrative Medicine. 2015;1(1):47-51.
  10. Shaum KM, Polotsky AJ. Nutrition and reproduction: Is there evidence to support a “Fertility Diet” to improve mitochondrial function? Maturitas. 2013;74(4):309-12

Correspondence to:

Amir-Mohammad Jaladat, MD, PhD. Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Telephone Number: +98713-2345145

Email Address: drjaladat@gmail.com