Fact Check: Does drinking cow milk increase sperm count?

Hyderabad: An AI-generated video of a fictional doctor advising a home remedy to increase sperm count is being widely shared on social media.

The voice-over in the viral video advises men with low sperm count to consume cow milk to improve their sperm count and the mobility of the sperm.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading.

What is sperm count and when is it considered low?

According to a medical article on UChicago medicine, recent studies have stated that the average sperm counts have dropped by 59 per cent over the past 38 years. Due to this significant drop, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention states, “In about 35 per cent of couples with infertility in th males has been identified.”

The article further gives a list of five foods to avoid that may decrease sperm health and male fertility. The food includes processed meats, trans fats, soy products and more as pesticides and bisphenol A (BPA) from various sources including food packaging and cans, can slowly leech into the food that we eat. High-fat dairy products are also on the list.

Healthline says, 'A normal sperm count ranges from 15 million sperm to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter (mL) of semen. Anything less than 15 million sperm per milliliter, or 39 million sperm per ejaculate, is considered low. A low sperm count is often referred to as oligospermia. A high, or above average, sperm count is over 200 million sperm per millimeter.'

Can consuming milk increase mobility and sperm count?

Talking about the correlation between consumption of milk and sperm count, UChicago Medicine says, “Milk may ‘do a body good’ if you don’t include sperm as part of the body. The Rochester Young Men’s Study, an analysis of sperm and diet from 189 men between the ages of 18- 22, showed that high-fat dairy products (whole milk, cream and cheese) were associated with decreased sperm motility and abnormal sperm shape. Some of this could be due to sex steroids given to cows.”

Moving forward, the article lists three foods that may help increase male fertility and improve sperm health. This includes fish, walnuts, fruits and veggies

A study on the effectiveness of cow’s milk on reproduction in ICR male mice where 24 male mice were divided randomly into groups milk group and control group. Each mouse was given 10 ml of milk a day from 4 to 16 weeks in the milk group. On the 17th week, the tests found that serum testosterone was decreased in the milk group whereas there was no significant difference in the weight of testes, seminal vesicle or adrenal gland of mice between the milk group and control group.

Epididymal sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and sperm head number were not affected by milk.

Moreover, the study concluded that cow’s milk had adverse effects on the reproductive system in male mice. The studies are needed to clarify the specific effect of milk on reproductive health.

Another study found that consumption of low-fat dairy intake was positively related to sperm concentration and progressive mobility. Cow milk is relatively lower in fat concentration than buffalo milk. Consuming toned milk is advisable as it contains a low fat proportion as compared to pure cow milk.

More research needs to be done on the same.