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Research Area: Reproductive Health

Daily almond supplementation improves blood pressure and lipid profile in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia: a randomized controlled trial.

Arslan, J., Z. Najam, H. Abdullah, H.S. Siddiqi, R. Bano, A. Gilani, H. Jamshed, 2026. Daily almond supplementation improves blood pressure and lipid profile in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nutrition. 156(2),101270 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.101270

Background: Hypertension and dyslipidemia during pregnancy increase risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Although almond supplementation is recognized for its cardioprotective effects in nonpregnant populations, its role during pregnancy remains underexplored despite its potential as a safe and accessible dietary intervention. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of almond supplementation at 2 doses (10 g/d and 25 g/d) on blood pressure, lipid profile, and heart rate in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Methods: This single-center, 12-wk randomized controlled trial enrolled 103 pregnant women (≥20 wk of gestation) with confirmed hypertension and/or dyslipidemia from Aga Khan Maternity Hospital, Karachi, with 46 participants meeting criteria for both conditions included in the primary analysis. Participants were randomly assigned into 3 groups: no-intervention (NI, control), 10 g/d almonds (A10), or 25 g/d almonds (A25). Primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, measured every 4 wk. Secondary outcomes included serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL, HDL, and heart rate, assessed at baseline and week 12. Data were analyzed using 1-way and 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance with post hoc testing (P ≤ 0.05 considered significant). Results: At week 12, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in both A10 (−13.7% and −5.8%) and A25 (−18.3% and −7.9%) compared with NI (−7.4% and −1.6%; P < 0.001). TC, TG, and LDL levels improved dose-dependently, with the A25 group showing the greatest reductions in TC (−22.5%), TG (−33.8%), and LDL (−27.3%) (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in HDL levels or heart rate across groups. Conclusions: Almond supplementation for 12 wk significantly improved blood pressure and lipid profile in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia, especially at the 25 g/d dose. These findings suggest that almonds may serve as an adjunct dietary strategy to manage cardiometabolic risk in pregnancy. Future trials with larger samples and longer durations are warranted to evaluate sustained benefits and long-term outcomes.

Nut consumption and sperm quality in healthy men: results from the Led-Fertyl Study.

Dávila-Córdova, E., N. Babio, C. Valle-Hita, M. Fernández la Puente, A. Beltran-Arasa, M. Cebrián-Puig, V. Fambuena-Perez, I. García-Serrano, M.M. Murphy, J. Salas-Salvadó, A. Salas-Huetos, 2026. Nut consumption and sperm quality in healthy men: results from the Led-Fertyl Study. Andrology. e70204. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70204

Background: Nuts are rich in antioxidants and other bioactive compounds, and recent evidence suggests that their regular consumption may be associated with sperm quality. However, the current scientific evidence remains limited and inconsistent. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the association between nut consumption and sperm quality parameters in healthy men of reproductive age. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the data from 222 young men enrolled in the Led-Fertyl study. Nut consumption was categorized as < 3, ≥ 3 to < 7, and ≥ 7 servings/week (1 serving = 30 g). The main outcomes were sperm quality parameters (sperm count, concentration, vitality, motility, and normal morphology). Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were fitted to analyze associations. Results: Total sperm count (β = 3.38; 95%CI: 1.59, 5.16) and concentration (β = 1.17; 95%CI: 0.15, 2.19) were higher among participants in the highest category of nut consumption (≥7 servings/week) compared to those in the lowest (< 3 servings/week). A similar association was observed when modeling nut consumption as continuous; each additional serving per day was associated with higher total sperm count and concentration (β = 2.38; 95%CI: 1.03, 3.72 and β = 0.83; 95%CI: 0.06, 1.59, respectively). A theoretical substitution of 1 serving/day of nuts with 1 serving/day of potato chips or pastries was associated with lower total sperm count and concentration. Furthermore, compared to participants in the lowest category of nut consumption, those in the highest were 75% less likely to have abnormal sperm motility (OR: 0.25; 95%CI: 0.07, 0.95) and 69% less likely to have seminogram abnormalities (OR: 0.31; 95%CI: 0.14, 0.68). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that regular nut consumption is associated with higher total sperm count and concentration in young, healthy men of reproductive age.

Nut consumption during pregnancy is associated with decreased risk of peer problems in 5-year-old Japanese children.

Nguyen, M.Q., Y. Miyake, K. Tanaka, S. Hasuo, Y. Nakamura, H. Okubo, S. Sasaki, M. Arakawa, 2024. Nut consumption during pregnancy is associated with decreased risk of peer problems in 5-year-old Japanese children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 78(4):927-935.

Objectives: Nuts are nutrient-dense foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The present prebirth cohort study examined the association between maternal nut intake during pregnancy and the risk of childhood behavioral problems in 5-year-old Japanese children. Methods: Study subjects were 1199 mother-child pairs. Dietary intake was assessed using a diet history questionnaire. Emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity problems, peer problems, and low prosocial behavior were assessed using the parent-reported version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Adjustments were made for a priori-selected nondietary confounders and potentially related dietary factors. Results: Compared with mothers who had not eaten nuts during pregnancy, mothers who had eaten nuts had a significantly reduced risk of peer problems in children; the adjusted odds ratio was 0.64 (95% confidence interval: 0.42-0.97). There were no measurable associations between maternal consumption of nuts during pregnancy and the risk of childhood emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity problems, and low prosocial behavior. Conclusions: Maternal consumption of nuts during pregnancy may be associated with a decreased risk of peer problems in 5-year-old children.

Effect of a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction during pregnancy on child neurodevelopment: A prespecified analysis of the IMPACT BCN Randomized Clinical Trial.

Crovetto, F., A. Nakaki, A. Arranz, R. Borras, K. Vellvé, C. Paules, M.L. Boutet, S. Castro-Barquero, T. Freitas, R. Casas, A. Martín-Asuero, T. Oller Guzmán, I. Morilla, A. Martínez-Àran, A. Camacho, M. Pasqual, M. Izquierdo Renau, Ó. J. Pozo, A. Gomez-Gomez, R. Estruch, E. Vieta, F. Crispi, E. Gratacós, 2023. Effect of a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction during pregnancy on child neurodevelopment: A prespecified analysis of the IMPACT BCN Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(8), e2330255. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30255

Importance: Maternal suboptimal nutrition and high stress levels are associated with adverse fetal and childhood neurodevelopment. Objective: To test the hypothesis that structured interventions based on a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) during pregnancy improve child neurodevelopment at age 2 years. Design, setting, and participants: This was a prespecified analysis of the parallel-group Improving Mothers for a Better Prenatal Care Trial Barcelona (IMPACT BCN) randomized clinical trial, which was conducted at a university hospital in Barcelona, Spain, from February 2017 to March 2020. A total of 1221 singleton pregnancies (19 to 23 weeks’ gestation) with high risk of delivering newborns who were small for gestational age were randomly allocated into 3 groups: a Mediterranean diet intervention, an MBSR program, or usual care. A postnatal evaluation with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition (Bayley-III), was performed. Data were analyzed from July to November 2022. Interventions: Participants in the Mediterranean diet group received monthly individual and group educational sessions and free provision of extra virgin olive oil and walnuts. Those in the stress reduction group underwent an 8-week MBSR program adapted for pregnancy. Individuals in the usual care group received pregnancy care per institutional protocols. Main outcomes and measures: Neurodevelopment in children was assessed by Bayley-III at 24 months of corrected postnatal age. Results: A total of 626 children (293 [46.8%] female and 333 [53.2%] male) participated at a mean (SD) age of 24.8 (2.9) months. No differences were observed in the baseline characteristics between intervention groups. Compared with children from the usual care group, children in the Mediterranean diet group had higher scores in the cognitive domain (β, 5.02; 95% CI, 1.52-8.53; P = .005) and social-emotional domain (β, 5.15; 95% CI, 1.18-9.12; P = .01), whereas children from the stress reduction group had higher scores in the social-emotional domain (β, 4.75; 95% CI, 0.54-8.85; P = .02). Conclusions and relevance: In this prespecified analysis of a randomized clinical trial, maternal structured lifestyle interventions during pregnancy based on a Mediterranean diet or MBSR significantly improved child neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2 years.

Key Area: Cognitive Health