7 Myths About Men's Health: Do You Believe Them?

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Zhang Yu, researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Have you ever heard some rumors, such as: men drinking Coke will "kill sperm", men eating celery will "kill sperm", men drinking soy milk will become feminine, etc. Male friends may be terrified, fearing that they will accidentally "ruin" their "offspring".

But is this really the case? Of course not! We should correctly understand the relevant knowledge about men's health, break the rumors, and not be fooled by some false statements.

×Rumor 1: Will drinking Coke kill sperm in men?

√The truth: It is recommended to drink less cola, but not because cola can kill sperm.

The saying that "drinking cola will kill sperm" has been around for a long time. The source of this saying is in the 1980s, when a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The observation group in the study soaked the sperm in cola, while the control group soaked the sperm in saline. The results showed that the activity of sperm soaked in cola was reduced, so the conclusion was drawn that "cola kills sperm."

But it should be noted that in the experiment, sperm was directly soaked in cola, while in normal life, we pour cola into our mouths and drink it. The two operations are completely different. The cola you drink will enter the stomach, not directly into the testicles and other reproductive systems.

As for whether drinking cola will affect the quality of sperm, some people have done research on this. Someone in Denmark conducted a survey on the sperm quality and caffeine intake of 2,554 young men. The results showed that men who consumed ≤800 mg of caffeine per day and ≤14 bottles (500 ml/bottle) of cola per week would not affect the quality of their sperm. For men who drink more than 1 liter of cola per day, their semen quality may be affected, but cola is not the only influencing factor. The study mentioned that people who drink a lot of cola every day mostly have unhealthy eating habits. This group of people may like to drink and smoke more, and these bad habits will also affect semen quality.

Therefore, if you are not someone who drinks more than 1 liter of cola every day to "extend life", you don't have to worry about "cola killing sperm". However, drinking cola frequently is not good for your health, so you still need to pay attention to the amount.

×Rumor 2: Eating celery will kill sperm?

√The truth: Eating celery normally will not kill sperm, so men can eat it without worry.

Figure 1 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

The saying that "eating celery will kill sperm" has been circulating for a long time. Many men believe it and are afraid to eat celery.

Regarding the relationship between celery and sperm quality, the School of Public Health of Lanzhou University in my country has conducted many studies, mainly focusing on healthy adult male mice. The mice were continuously gavaged with apigenin for up to 35 days. The results showed that apigenin had a certain effect on the sperm motility and movement parameters of male mice, but its effect on sperm quality needs further study.

It should be noted that this is only an animal study on mice, not a human study, and in the experiment, apigenin was gavaged into the mice for dozens of days in a row. However, in real life, we should not eat large amounts of celery for dozens of days in a row.

However, a related study abroad gave different results. The study mentioned that celery is rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids, vitamin E and vitamin C, which can reduce oxidative stress, protect cell membranes from damage, increase male sperm count and enhance male fertility. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed by further clinical research.

Therefore, there is currently no high-quality, reliable evidence to prove that eating celery affects the quality of male sperm. According to the amount and frequency of celery we eat on a daily basis, there is no need to worry at all.

×Rumor three: Eating leeks can improve sexual performance?

√The truth: Chives are very nutritious, but they cannot enhance male sexual function.

There is a saying that "eating leeks can strengthen yang" comes from the "Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica", in which the part about leeks mentions a sentence: "Warming the middle, lowering qi, replenishing deficiency, harmonizing the internal organs, making people eatable, benefiting yang, stopping diarrhea, mortar pus, cold and pain in the abdomen, and can be cooked and eaten." But in fact, the "benefiting yang" and "strengthening yang" here are not the same thing.

The claim that eating leeks can improve sexual performance is not reliable. However, leeks are rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene, and the mineral potassium, which are helpful in preventing constipation, protecting eyes, and stabilizing blood pressure. They are vegetables that can be eaten frequently. Fried leeks with duck blood, fried leeks with eggs, and leek boxes are all good, delicious and nutritious.

×Rumor 4: Eating oysters can improve sexual performance?

√The truth: Oysters are rich in zinc, but they have little aphrodisiac effect.

Figure 2 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Men are advised to eat oysters regularly not because they can enhance sexual performance, but because they are rich in the mineral zinc, which is a very important nutrient that affects men's reproductive health.

Zinc can promote the normal development of sexual organs and sexual function, and may also be related to the function of the pituitary gland to secrete gonadotropin. Zinc deficiency can affect the production and secretion of testosterone and adrenal cortical steroids, leading to male sexual dysfunction and affecting sperm formation and sperm quality.

Studies have shown that when the zinc content in the male reproductive tract is high, the spermatogenesis ability is also more active; zinc deficiency in men can lead to sexual dysfunction, which may result in testicular shrinkage, weight loss, decreased sperm count, and even cessation of spermatogenesis.

Oysters are rich in zinc, at 71.2 mg/100 g. In theory, eating 50 g of oyster meat a day can meet 284% of a man's daily zinc requirement.

×Rumor 5: Eating animal kidneys can improve sexual performance?

√The truth: Eating more kidneys will not improve your sexual performance, but it may cause your cholesterol to exceed the standard.

Figure 3 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In the summer, you can always hear a shout at the barbecue stall: "Boss, give me five skewers of grilled kidneys!"

In fact, eating kidneys has nothing to do with aphrodisiacs. Animal kidneys are not only low in zinc, but also high in cholesterol.

The cholesterol content of pork kidney, beef kidney and lamb kidney is as high as 430 mg/100 g, 295 mg/100 g and 289 mg/100 g respectively, while the cholesterol content of lean pork we eat daily is only 81 mg/100 g. If you eat a lot of kidneys every day for the so-called "improvement", be careful of hypercholesterolemia!

×Rumor 6: Men will not get breast cancer?

√Truth: Breast cancer is not a disease exclusive to women, men can also get it.

Men can also get breast cancer. Male breast cancer is a rare malignant tumor disease with a very small number of cases, accounting for less than 1% of new breast cancers, and the age of onset is mostly between 68 and 71 years old. A multicenter study report organized by the Breast Surgery Group of the Surgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association showed that male breast cancer patients in China account for about 0.31% of all breast cancer patients.

So, it’s not that men won’t get breast cancer.

×Rumor seven: Men can’t drink soy milk?

√The truth: Drink it with confidence!

Figure 4 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

There is a folk rumor that: "Soy milk contains estrogen, so men should not drink it, otherwise the more they drink, the more feminine they will become." Is this true?

In fact, men can drink soy milk! The "estrogen" contained in soy milk is soy isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens. Soy isoflavones can help the human body regulate hormone levels. For example, when the estrogen level in the body is low, soy isoflavones can help increase the estrogen level; when the estrogen level in the body is high, it can help lower the estrogen level, which is beneficial to maintain the balance of the human hormone level.

Therefore, both men and women can drink soy milk. According to the recommendations in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", adults can consume 25 grams of soybeans and other soy products in their diet every day. Soy milk is also a soy product! However, it is best not to add sugar when drinking soy milk. You can add a few red dates to increase the sweetness to avoid excessive sugar.

Fellow men, don’t be fooled by rumors anymore! Instead of believing these unscientific rumors, it is better to start by quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, which are more beneficial to your health!

References

[1] Umpierre SA, Hill JA, Anderson DJ. Effect of coke on sperm motility[J]. N Engl J Med, 1985, 313: 1351.

[2] Tina KJ, Shanna HS, Niels ES, et al. Caffeine intake and semen quality in a population of 2,554 young danish men. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2010,171(8):883-891.

[3] Liu Lingfei. Effects of apigenin on reproductive system function of male rats and related mechanisms[D]. Lanzhou University, 2015.

[4] Wu Shuang, Chen Wencai, Liu Lingfei, et al. Effects of apigenin on sperm quality and sex hormones in rats [J]. Journal of Toxicology, 2014, 28(5): 385-389.

[5] Liu Shuyu. Study on the effect of apigenin on the reproductive system of male mice[D]. Lanzhou University, 2010.

[6]Kooti W, Mansouri E, Ghasemiboroon M, et al. Protective effects of celery (Apium Graveolens) on testis and cauda epididymal spermatozoa in rat. Iran J Reprod Med, 2014, 12(5):365-366.

[7] Wang Yanmei, Yang Jiazhou, Zhao Yufeng, et al. Effects of zinc on male reproductive system and testicular function [J]. Shandong Medicine, 2012, 52(19):93-94, 96.

[8] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 2[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018.

[9] Breast Surgery Group, Chinese Society of Surgery, Song Ailin, Ou Jianghua, et al. Practice Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Male Breast Cancer in China (2023 Edition)[J]. Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery, 2023, 43(2):139-143.