Even a small amount of ultra-processed foods can lead to increased weight, hormone disruption, and poor sperm quality in men, finds a study.An international team of scientists has now discovered that people gain more weight on an ultra-processed diet compared to a minimally processed diet, even when they eat the same number of calories.
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, in humans also revealed that a diet high in ultra-processed foods introduces higher levels of pollutants that are known to affect sperm quality.
“Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they’re not eaten in excess. This indicates that it is the processed nature of these foods that makes them harmful,” said lead author Jessica Preston, at the University of Copenhagen’s NNF Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR).
To get the best possible data, the team compared the health impact of unprocessed and ultra-processed diets on the same person.
They recruited 43 men aged 20 to 35, who spent three weeks on each of the two diets, with three months ‘washout’ in between.
Half started on the ultra-processed and half started on the unprocessed diet. Half of the men also received a high-calorie diet with an extra 500 daily calories, while half received the normal amount of calories for their size, age, and physical activity levels. They were not told which diet they were on.
Both the unprocessed and ultra-processed diets had the same amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fats.
Men gained around 1 kg more of fat mass while on the ultra-processed diet compared to the unprocessed diet, regardless of whether they were on the normal or excess calorie diet. Several other markers of cardiovascular health were also affected.
The scientists also discovered a worrying increase in the level of the hormone-disrupting phthalate cxMINP — a substance used in plastics– in men on the ultra-processed diet. Men on this diet also saw decreases in their levels of testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which are crucial for sperm production.
“We were shocked by how many body functions were disrupted by ultra-processed foods, even in healthy young men. The long-term implications are alarming and highlight the need to revise nutritional guidelines to better protect against chronic disease,” said Professor Romain Barrès from the University of Copenhagen.