A small study<\/a> led by a team from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark suggests that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may negatively affect men’s metabolism and fertility even when calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat intake are the same as a whole-food diet.<\/p>\n The research, published this month in the journal Cell Metabolism, followed 43 men, ages 20 to 35, who each spent three weeks on both a highly processed and minimally processed diet.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘FOOD IS MEDICINE’ MOVEMENT MAY BE KEY TO REVERSING HEALTH DECLINE: HERE’S WHAT TO EAT<\/a><\/p>\n The ultra-processed plan included ready-to-eat meals, sweetened cereals, processed meats such as sausage and cold cuts, packaged breads and snacks, flavored yogurts and soft drinks.\u00a0<\/p>\n The whole-foods diet featured fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, whole grains, legumes, plain dairy products and nuts and seeds.<\/p>\n Scientists found that processed foods affected men’s weight and hormone levels, even with controlled calorie intake. (iStock)<\/p>\n Even with identical calorie intake, men on the ultra-processed diet<\/a> gained about 2 pounds of fat mass and showed worse heart-health markers than during the unprocessed phase.<\/p>\n “Differences in body weight between the two diets suggest that calories from unprocessed and ultra-processed foods are not equally stored or metabolized, even when controlled for macronutrient load,” the scientists wrote.<\/p>\n WEIGHT LOSS TOUGHER WITH ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS LURKING IN NEARLY EVERY MEAL, SAY EXPERTS<\/a><\/p>\n The study also found that participants on the ultra-processed diet had higher levels of pollutants known to affect sperm quality, including a plastics-related phthalate chemical called cxMINP. They also showed decreased levels of testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), both key to sperm production.<\/p>\n The study sheds light on whether the harmful effects of processed foods<\/a> come from their industrial nature or simply from causing people to overeat.<\/p>\n Processed and packaged foods were linked to poor metabolic and reproductive health. (iStock)<\/p>\n “Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they’re not eaten in excess,” Jessica Preston, lead author of the study, said in a news release from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which provided funding for the research.<\/p>\n CUTTING OUT ONE FOOD TYPE COULD NEARLY DOUBLE WEIGHT LOSS, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS<\/a><\/p>\n The researchers wrote that eating ultra-processed food is “detrimental for cardiometabolic and reproductive outcomes, regardless of excessive caloric intake.”<\/p>\n Dr. David Shusterman, a board-certified urologist and chief physician at Modern Urologist in New York City, said the study, which he was not involved with, adds an important piece to a growing body of literature linking diet quality \u2014 not just calories \u2014 to men’s metabolic and reproductive health.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n Adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Studies have also found that sperm count, motility, concentration and volume have declined sharply in recent decades.<\/p>\n Men who ate highly processed foods gained more fat, the study found. (iStock)<\/p>\n Meanwhile, ultra-processed foods now make up more than half of the average American diet,<\/a> according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n “We were shocked by how many body functions were disrupted by ultra-processed foods, even in healthy young men,” the study’s senior author, Romain Barr\u00e8s, said in the release. “The long-term implications are alarming and highlight the need to revise nutritional guidelines to better protect against chronic disease.”\u00a0<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n The researchers added that shifting dietary habits away from ultra-processed and toward less-processed foods may also benefit mental health.<\/a><\/p>\n They noted that the study \u2014 which did not include women or older adults \u2014 relied on participants accurately following and reporting their diets, potentially introducing bias.<\/p>\n Ultra-processed foods make up about 55% of Americans\u2019 daily calories. (iStock)<\/p>\n “While the sample is small and the intervention short, the results signal that food processing itself may carry endocrine and fertility risks worth paying attention to,” Shusterman said.<\/p>\n The three-week duration may also have been too short to show the full long-term effects of processed versus unprocessed foods, the researchers noted.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment.<\/p>\n Dr. Justin Houman, chief clinical officer at Bastion Health and a urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said the results also shouldn’t be applied to older men or those with health issues yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n While short-term drops in testosterone and sperm quality don’t prove infertility,<\/a> they indicate early changes that warrant further research, he said.<\/p>\n Scientists say ultra-processed foods may disrupt heart and metabolic health over time. (iStock)<\/p>\n Houman, who was not involved in the study, noted that controlled studies limit overeating, and the effects could be worse in real life.\u00a0<\/p>\n “In the wild, ultra-processed foods also drive higher calorie intake, so real-world effects could be larger, not smaller,” he told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n He added that some convenience foods can still fit into a healthy diet, especially when they are low in additives and high in fiber and protein.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I’m not telling patients to fear every wrapper, but I am advising men who care about testosterone, body composition and sperm quality to make minimally processed foods their default and treat UPFs, including protein bars, as occasional tools<\/a>, not staples,” he said.<\/p>\n Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! 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