As infertility continues to affect millions of couples worldwide, scientists are increasingly turning their attention to natural remedies that may offer safer and more affordable alternatives to synthetic drugs.
Now, in a new study, researchers said a combination of tiger nuts and date palm flour significantly improved male reproductive function in laboratory animals, offering fresh insight into the potential role of diet in addressing male infertility.
They said the simple dietary interventions involving tiger nuts and dates in humans could complement conventional treatments for male infertility, offering a more accessible and natural approach to improving reproductive outcomes.
Male infertility is an increasingly pressing public health concern. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it contributes to nearly half of all infertility cases worldwide and it is often linked to stress, environmental exposure, poor nutrition, and lifestyle changes.
While synthetic drugs are commonly prescribed, they are often expensive and associated with adverse side effects, prompting growing interest in plant-based therapies.
In many cultures, medicinal plants have long been used in folkloric and traditional medicine to enhance sexual performance and fertility. However, scientific validation of these practices has often been limited.
The researcher in the Asian Journal of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology had examined the impact of tiger nuts and date palm flour used individually and in combination on male reproductive health.
Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into six groups and fed different formulations of rat feed, tiger nut flour, date flour, or mixtures of both over a 28-day period at the University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State. Then they assessed sperm quality, hormone levels, and the microscopic structure of the testes.
When combined with dates flour, tiger nuts flour increased the sperm count and quality more than when the two samples were used separately.
Rats fed a 1:1 mixture of tiger nut and date flour had the most notable improvements in sperm count, viability, and motility compared to the control group. Sperm count in this group increased more than sevenfold, while sperm viability and motility also showed marked enhancement.
The group fed a 2:1 ratio of tiger nut to date flour also recorded a significant rise in reproductive hormones, particularly testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which are both vital for sperm production and male fertility. Testosterone levels in this group were nearly double those of the control animals.
In addition, there was an increased sexual desire and the microscopic examination of the testes showed normal seminiferous tubules, spermatocytes, and spermatogonia in all treated groups, indicating that the dietary mixtures did not damage the testes over a long time use.
Tiger nuts and dates are both rich in carbohydrates, healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants. Tiger nuts have long been believed to enhance male vitality in traditional medicine. Dates, cultivated for over 6,000 years, are packed with carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
According to the researchers, combining tiger nuts and dates may be more effective than using either alone in improving sperm quality or boosting reproductive hormones, and unlike many synthetic fertility drugs is proven safe in testes in animal models.
They attributed these effects of these two foods to the presence of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolics, and quercetin, which are known to enhance sperm quality, boost reproductive hormones, and protect testicular health, making it a viable natural remedy for infertility.
The researchers recommend further studies involving female rats to assess mating behaviour and fertility outcomes, as well as controlled human trials to evaluate the effectiveness of tiger nut and date combinations in men with infertility or erectile dysfunction.
This study contributes to the growing body of scientific literature validating traditional knowledge with modern research tools. While tiger nuts and dates are already widely consumed as foods, their potential role as functional fertility-enhancing agents opens new avenues for nutritional and therapeutic interventions.
To enhance male reproductive function, focus should also be on foods rich in zinc (oysters, pumpkin seeds, beef), omega-3s (fatty fish, walnuts, chia seeds), antioxidants (berries, dark chocolate, tomatoes, leafy greens), folate (spinach, asparagus, broccoli), and vitamins C, D, and B12 (citrus, eggs, salmon, dairy) to improve sperm count, motility, and overall health, with lean meats, fruits, nuts, and whole grains being key sources.
The relationship between some fish species, including salmon and sperm count can be traced to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin D. These work to increase sperm production, quality, and quantity.
Walnuts are known to be full of folate, B6, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which support a healthy development of sperm. Furthermore, these nutrients boost the motility, shape, and size of the sperm.
Another popular way to increase sperm motility by food is adding garlic to meals. Studies have shown that the garlic compound of S-allyl cysteine can stimulate the production of testosterone levels and sperm count.
As infertility continues to rise globally, the integration of nutrition, traditional medicine, and evidence-based science may offer affordable, accessible, and safer solutions, bringing renewed hope to couples seeking to build families.
