By Jimmy Downs

Sunday May 19, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities suggests that eating a diet with a high amount of protein may help protect against the toxic effect of arsenic on the male reproductive system.

Dr. Das Shyamal Kanti from Department of Physiology, Krishnath College in West Bengal, India  carried out the study in albino rats to examine the protective role of high dietary protein on arsenic induced gonadal toxicity.

For the study, rats ingested 3 mg of arsenic trioxide/kg body weight/day for 28 days.  It was found that the arsenic poisoning decreased the weight of testis and epididymis and the sperm count and sperm motility in addition to the serum concentration of male sexual hormone testosterone.

However, a high protein diet supplementation partially restored these physiological parameters in the rats exposed to arsenic.

The researchers concluded "high protein diet supplementation may be effective to counteract the toxic effect of arsenic on male gonad of rat."

It should be noted that an adequate level of testosterone is necessary for a man to be fertile, but high levels of this male hormone can have some "side effects".  For instance, men with high levels of testosterone are more likely to develop prostate cancer and less likely to live a long life, compared with those having a low level.

Arsenic is found high in rice from some regions and chicken meat.  Arsenic is found commonly in drinking water.   Arsenic is commonly used to preserve wood.