A new study from Denmark shows that saturated fat can lead to lower sperm count.

Saturated fats are associated with higher cholesterol levels and are found in animal products like meat and dairy products, according to Medline Plus. Palm, coconut and coconut butter oil are also high in saturated fat.

The study found that men whose diets were high in saturated fat had 41 percent lower sperm count than men who didn't consume a lot of saturated fats.

The study included around 700 Danish men who had got their fitness levels checked for military service between 2008 and 2010. These men had their semen analyzed and underwent a physical examination. All participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding details about their nutrition intake.

Study results showed that men who ate foods high in saturated fat had 38 percent lower sperm concentration and a 41 percent lower sperm count than men whose diets weren't high in saturated fats.

"We cannot say that it has a causal effect, but I think other studies have shown that saturated fat intake has shown a connection to other problems and now also for sperm count," Tina Jensen, the study's lead author from Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, told Reuters Health.

Researchers said that the study might explain why there have been subnormal sperm counts in many regions of the world in the past decade. Reducing saturated fat intake may help people improve their general as well as reproductive health, they concluded.

The study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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