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Future Fathers and Vitamin C
August 31, 2009
Men planning to father a child should be aware that consuming adequate levels of vitamin C could mean the difference between healthy offspring and birth defects. Led by Dr. Bruce Ames, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley found that even a slight lack of vitamin C can lead to damaged sperm, increasing the chances of abnormality. In the study, 10 healthy men were deliberately switched from diets high in vitamin C (250 milligrams a day) to diets very low in the vitamin (5 milligrams a day). After the switch, the level of genetic damage in sperm jumped 91 percent.
Such damaged sperm, the researchers explain, could produce children with birth defects and genetic diseases, including leukemia, kidney disease, and brain cancer. Restoring vitamin C in the diet reversed the damage. Based on the study, it appears that future fathers should ensure an intake of at least 250 milligrams of vitamin C per day at the time of conception.
Topics: Health News