雙語：哈佛研究稱20歲前吃垃圾食品損傷生殖力
Teenage males following a junk food diet are causing irreversible damage to their sperm, a study has found.
一項研究發現，男性在青春期吃垃圾食品將對精子造成不可逆轉的損傷。
Eating foods such as pizza, sugary drinks, chips and burgers can result in significantly low sperm counts compared to following a healthier diet.
相比吃健康食品，攝入披薩、含糖飲料、薯片和漢堡等食品將導致精子數量嚴重偏低。
The research, led by Harvard University, looked at nearly 3,000 men who had a compulsory medical exam before entering the Danish army for national service.
哈佛大學領頭的這項研究調查了近3000名在丹麥服兵役前參加強制體檢的男性。
The average age among those tested was 19.
Researchers from the US and Denmark found those men following a so-called ‘Western diet’ of these high-fat and processed foods had the lowest average sperm count.
來自美國和丹麥的研究人員發現，吃高脂肪和加工食品等所謂“西方飲食”的男性精子平均數量最低。
On average, they had 25.6 million fewer sperm per ejaculation compared to those eating the healthiest diets.
平均而言，這些男性每次射精數量比飲食最健康的男性少2560萬。
While previous studies have focused on older men trying to conceive, this research shows some men have “clinically low” sperm counts despite being at their peak reproductive age.
先前的研究關注的是想要孕育下一代的年長男性，但這項研究表明，儘管處於最佳生育年齡，一些男性的精子數量“臨牀結果很低”。
What’s more, men eating junk food diets were found to have diminished levels of Sertoli cells – a type of cell contained in the testicles which is associated with producing healthy sperm.
此外，研究發現，吃垃圾食品的男性塞爾託利氏細胞水平偏低。塞爾託利氏細胞是睾丸中所含的一種與製造健康精子有關的細胞。
Eating a junk food diet causes oxidative damage to these cells, it was found, and this cannot be reversed in later life.
研究發現，吃垃圾食品會對這些細胞造成氧化損傷，而且這些損傷無法在以後逆轉。
The research will be presented at the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual conference in Vienna.
這項研究將在維也納舉行的歐洲人類生殖與胚胎學學會的年會上展示。
Sperm counts have declined 59.3% among Western men from 1973 to 2011, according to a study by Hebrew University.
根據希伯來大學的一項研究，1973年至2011年期間西方男性的精子數量下降了59.3%。
While the prevailing reason for this drop in sperm counts is unclear, researchers have suggested it is down to a mixture of chemical and pesticide exposure to modern lifestyles.
儘管尚未弄清造成精子數量下降的普遍原因，但研究人員指出，這可能是由於接觸化學物質和殺蟲劑的現代生活方式。
Men from Switzerland are among those with the lowest sperm counts in Europe, according to new findings.
新研究發現，瑞士男性是歐洲男性中精子數量最低的。
Danish, Norwegian and German men were also found to have particularly low sperm counts.
怎麼做才能提高精子數量？
According to the Harvard University study, eating a “prudent” diet high in fish, chicken, fruit and vegetables was associated with the healthiest total sperm counts.
根據哈佛大學的這項研究，吃魚肉、雞肉、水果、蔬菜等“謹慎的”飲食和最健康的精子數量有關。
A traditional vegetarian diet – rich in vegetables, soya milk and eggs – was the next best alternative for boosting sperm counts.
傳統的素食——富含蔬菜、豆奶和雞蛋——是提高精子數量的次優之選。
Other ways to boost sperm count include wearing loose-fitting boxer shorts and maintaining a healthy weight, according to science.