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Soda consumption reduces fertility in women, men
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Women and men who consume about one sugar-sweetened beverage per day, sugar-sweetened sodas in particular, are nearly 20% less likely to achieve pregnancy in 1 year vs. women and men who consume no sugar-sweetened beverages, according to findings published in Epidemiology.
Soda consumption has been linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity, but few studies have assessed the relationship between sugary drinks and fertility in men and women, Elizabeth Hatch, PhD, professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, and colleagues wrote in the study background.
“Male and female intake of sugar-sweetened sodas and energy drinks were associated with a lower average monthly probability of conception in a large North American preconception cohort study of pregnancy planners,” Hatch told Endocrine Today. “Results were consistent with control for many other factors, including educational level, income, BMI, caffeine, smoking and alcohol. In contrast, there was no association between intake of fruit juice or diet sodas with fertility.”
The researchers analyzed data from 3,828 women aged 21 to 45 years and 1,045 men aged at least 21 years participating in PRESTO, an ongoing, internet-based cohort study of U.S. and Canadian adults trying to conceive for less than six cycles and not using fertility treatments; the study began enrolling in 2013. Women completed a web-based questionnaire and were encouraged to invite male partners to complete a one-time, baseline questionnaire. Both surveys included questions on the average weekly consumption of soda (sugar-sweetened and diet), popular energy drinks (Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy), sugar-sweetened sports drinks (Gatorade) and fruit juices. Participants also completed a food frequency questionnaire 10 days after the baseline questionnaire; women completed follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks up to 12 months or until conception. Researchers estimated time-to-pregnancy using data from the women’s screening, baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Average intake of various sugar-sweetened beverages was categorized as zero, one, two to six and at least seven servings per week. Researchers used proportional probabilities regression analysis to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs), defined as the cycle-specific probability of conception comparing the exposed with the unexposed.
Among the 2,674 couples who completed the study, 85% became pregnant. Women consumed an average of 1.3 sugar-sweetened sodas, 1.2 diet sodas, 0.9 glasses of fruit juice, 0.2 servings of energy drinks and 0.3 servings of sports drinks per week. Men consumed an average of 2.4 sugar-sweetened sodas, 1.6 diet sodas, one glass of fruit juice, 0.5 servings of energy drinks and 0.5 servings of sports drinks per week.
Researchers found that women who reported consuming at least seven servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per week were 19% less likely to conceive when compared with women who consumed no sugar-sweetened beverages (FR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.7-0.94); however, researchers observed little association among women who reported consuming fewer than seven servings. The risk for decreased fecundability was further increased when researchers assessed only sugar-sweetened soda consumption, with FRs of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77-0.09) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.95) for women who consumed two to six servings and at least seven servings, respectively, compared with women who did not consume soda. Adjustment for Healthy Eating Index and total energy intake did not change results.
Among men, researchers found that, compared with men who reported no sugary drink consumption, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with reduced fecundability, with FRs of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.72-1.01) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.63-0.96), respectively, for consuming two to six and at least seven servings per week. Researchers also observed a greater reduction in fecundability when analyzing sugar-sweetened sodas alone, with an FR of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.51-0.89) when consuming at least seven servings per week compared with men who consumed no soda, as well as an association between energy drink consumption and reduced fertility.
“Couples planning a pregnancy might consider limiting their intake of sugar-sweetened sodas and energy drinks, especially because they have also been linked to other conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity,” Hatch said.
The researchers noted that a possible mechanism for an association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and fertility includes increased insulin resistance, leading to oxidative stress that affects semen quality or ovulatory function.
“Moreover, the type of sweetener found in sodas may matter,” the researchers wrote. “Most sodas in North America are sweetened with [high fructose corn syrup] and have higher fructose to glucose ratios than other sugar-sweetened beverages.
“Given the high levels of sugar-sweetened beverages consumed by reproductive-aged couples in North America, these findings could have important public health implications,” the researchers wrote. – by Regina Schaffer
For more information:
Elizabeth Hatch, PhD, can be reached at Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118; email: eehatch@bu.edu.
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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