The one diet change that could boost your sex life and fertility

If your sex life is feeling a bit stale, something as simple as changing what you put on your plate could turn up the heat in the bedroom. And according to new research, it could be as simple as upping the amount of seafood you eat.

In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers analyzed 501 US couples and found those who consumed two or more servings of seafood a week not only had a major increase in their time between the sheets—having sex more frequently—but also got pregnant easier. In fact, after the yearlong study, 92 percent of the seafood-eating couples were pregnant compared to 79 percent who ate less seafood.

So, how does seafood play such a big role in couples’ sex lives? Well, seafood is already touted as an aphrodisiac—but when it comes to helping people get pregnant quicker, it seems to have a biological effect on semen quality, ovulation, and embryo quality: “Our results stress the importance of not only female, but also male diet on time to pregnancy and suggests that both partners should be incorporating more seafood into their diets for the maximum fertility benefit,” said Audrey Gaskins of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in a press release.

So if you’ve quit seafood because of mercury concerns, here’s some evidence for the “pro” column (you make a pro/con list for your food choices, right?), when you’re trying to decide whether to dive into that poké bowl.

Originally published on May 25, 2018; updated on August 12, 2018. 

This super-easy ceviche is full of skin-boosting ingredients. Or, check out this guide to sustainable fish.