The benefits of folate for women in preventing birth defects are well known, but new research suggests the nutrient also boosts sperm health. Men with relatively low levels of folate had increased risks for sperm containing either too few or too many chromosomes, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. These types of deficiencies can cause birth defects and miscarriages, the experts noted.
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That’s the conclusion of two reports to be presented July 9 at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology, in Barcelona, Spain. While semen samples from diabetics look normal under the microscope, a closer examination revealed DNA damage, Dr. Con Mallidis, of Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, said in a news release issued by the conference sponsors.

“Sperm RNA was significantly altered, and many of the changes we observed are in RNA transcripts involved in DNA repair,” he said. “And comparison with a database of men of proven fertility confirmed our findings. Diabetics have a significant decrease in their ability to repair sperm DNA, and once this is damaged, it cannot be restored.” Sperm DNA quality is known to be tied to decreased embryo quality, low embryo implantation rates, higher miscarriage rates and some serious childhood diseases, including cancers.
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People with the disorder have difficulty hearing in complex situations with competing noise, such as making out what one person is saying while many people in a group are talking at the same time. “Central auditory processing dysfunction is a general term that is applied to persons whose hearing in quiet settings is normal or near normal yet who have substantial hearing difficulty in the presence of auditory stressors such as competing noise and other difficult listening situations,” according to background information in the study. “Central auditory testing is important in evaluating individuals with hearing difficulty, because poor central auditory ability, per se, is not helped by amplification and requires alternative rehabilitation strategies.” Read more

Experts say most physicians realize the importance of pre-pregnancy counseling and measures, making sure, for example, that women take folic acid during their reproductive years to prevent birth defects. “We’re sort of waiting for women to come to us and say, ‘I’m planning to get pregnant. What should I do?’” said Dr. Anne L. Dunlop, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Read more