The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review

According to the World Health Organization, 17.5% of the population suffers from infertility. This demonstrates the critical need to expand access to high-quality reproductive care and increase our understanding of the factors that contribute to this issue. This review aims to summarize findings an...

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Main Authors: Kassandra Said Fares, Georges Hani Abi Tayeh, Emile Roger Whaibeh, Romy Jihad Louis, Lina Yasser Jaalouk, Yara Matar Matar, Myriam Andraos Mrad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences 2025-03-01
Series:International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
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Online Access:https://knepublishing.com/index.php/ijrm/article/view/18188
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author Kassandra Said Fares
Georges Hani Abi Tayeh
Emile Roger Whaibeh
Romy Jihad Louis
Lina Yasser Jaalouk
Yara Matar Matar
Myriam Andraos Mrad
author_facet Kassandra Said Fares
Georges Hani Abi Tayeh
Emile Roger Whaibeh
Romy Jihad Louis
Lina Yasser Jaalouk
Yara Matar Matar
Myriam Andraos Mrad
author_sort Kassandra Said Fares
collection DOAJ
description According to the World Health Organization, 17.5% of the population suffers from infertility. This demonstrates the critical need to expand access to high-quality reproductive care and increase our understanding of the factors that contribute to this issue. This review aims to summarize findings and gaps in the literature regarding diet-related factors and infertility among the Eastern Mediterranean couples poorly studied compared to other populations. The literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases from January 2012-July 2023. In total, 112 papers described the influence of diet and supplementation on natural and artificial reproductive outcomes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and were found eligible for the review synthesis. For men, a diet rich in red meat, fatty foods, whole grains, and low in fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products, and vegetables have a positive effect on sperm count. For women, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for their fertility. Overall, various vitamins and supplements significantly enhance gametes quality, hormonal balance, and antioxidant capacity, despite the results not being consistent across all studies. The findings highlight distinct dietary patterns that mitigate or exacerbate infertility risks, considering macro and micronutrients. Studies unevenly describe potential risk factors, underscoring the need for further exploration across diverse populations.
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issn 2476-4108
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language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences
record_format Article
series International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
spelling doaj-art-5676dc0fc72c4c5da63e03c2ec8b7f472025-08-20T03:40:22ZengShahid Sadoughi University of Medical SciencesInternational Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine2476-41082476-37722025-03-0123110.18502/ijrm.v23i1.18188The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative reviewKassandra Said Fares0Georges Hani Abi Tayeh1Emile Roger Whaibeh2Romy Jihad Louis3Lina Yasser Jaalouk4Yara Matar Matar5Myriam Andraos Mrad6Higher Institute for Public Health, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, BeirutSaint Joseph Fertility Center, BeirutHigher Institute for Public Health, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, BeirutPublic Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, BeirutPublic Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, BeirutPublic Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, BeirutHealth and Environment Response Agency, Hera According to the World Health Organization, 17.5% of the population suffers from infertility. This demonstrates the critical need to expand access to high-quality reproductive care and increase our understanding of the factors that contribute to this issue. This review aims to summarize findings and gaps in the literature regarding diet-related factors and infertility among the Eastern Mediterranean couples poorly studied compared to other populations. The literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases from January 2012-July 2023. In total, 112 papers described the influence of diet and supplementation on natural and artificial reproductive outcomes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and were found eligible for the review synthesis. For men, a diet rich in red meat, fatty foods, whole grains, and low in fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products, and vegetables have a positive effect on sperm count. For women, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for their fertility. Overall, various vitamins and supplements significantly enhance gametes quality, hormonal balance, and antioxidant capacity, despite the results not being consistent across all studies. The findings highlight distinct dietary patterns that mitigate or exacerbate infertility risks, considering macro and micronutrients. Studies unevenly describe potential risk factors, underscoring the need for further exploration across diverse populations. https://knepublishing.com/index.php/ijrm/article/view/18188InfertilityDietVitaminsAntioxidantsAssisted reproductive techniques
spellingShingle Kassandra Said Fares
Georges Hani Abi Tayeh
Emile Roger Whaibeh
Romy Jihad Louis
Lina Yasser Jaalouk
Yara Matar Matar
Myriam Andraos Mrad
The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Infertility
Diet
Vitamins
Antioxidants
Assisted reproductive techniques
title The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
title_full The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
title_fullStr The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
title_full_unstemmed The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
title_short The role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A narrative review
title_sort role of diet and food supplements in infertility management in the eastern mediterranean region a narrative review
topic Infertility
Diet
Vitamins
Antioxidants
Assisted reproductive techniques
url https://knepublishing.com/index.php/ijrm/article/view/18188
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