Green tea for DH?

[zanacal]

DH likes to drink flavoured green tea (with lemon or whatever). I know that ladies ttc boys take green tea but what effect does it have on DH and is it ok when ttc a girl?

DH hasn't made any changes in terms of his diet so far and he also likes to drink coffee at work. Is it advisable for him to quit the caffeine at least on the days of our attempts - doesn't it speed up the swimmers or something?! This will be easier for him if he can switch it for green tea!!

Thanks x

[Doublechoc]

i heard it was no green tea for dh, lemon is a big no no when ttc girl, can your dh drink decaf coffee at work?

[atomic sagebrush]

I am reading more and more stuff about green tea that makes me think it's not the worst idea ever for DH.

The main reason why the Blue Ladies drink green tea is because it's a phytoestrogen and some people believe it acts as an estrogen in the body, in effect raising estrogen. (I'm not entirely sure that's the case - evidence indicates that some phytoestrogens compete with/interfere with the body's natural estrogen and in effect LOWER estrogen.) So if that evidence is wrong, then your DH may raise his estrogen level by drinking it.

The other thing that I found interesting is that green tea has been proven to lower cholesterol, and cholesterol is the building block of testosterone. Lowering cholesterol would lower estrogen as well because it's also made up of cholesterol, but IF the traditional swaying lore is correct and the phytoestrogen in the green tea acts as an estrogen, then it could be the best of both worlds - lowering cholesterol and thereby lowering testosterone, while the phytoestrogen acts as estrogen and makes up for any lowering of estrogen that results from the lower cholesterol.

The downside is that green tea is super healthy and has so many other micronutrients in it that probably boost fertility and sway blue. Green tea DOES have caffeine as well BTW.

Caffeine does speed up the sperm but just because sperm is faster, I'm very far from sure that has been actually proven to translate to more males being conceived (and in fact the opposite may be true) http://www.newscientist.com/article/...-speed-up.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1168707

Arizona has a new line of green tea "stix" - those little powders you can mix in a water bottle - and they are artificially sweetened. My DH has been taking them in his lunch sometimes because he's trying to go off of coffee, and says they are ok. http://www.drinkarizona.com/index_na...#carousel_stix (this has got to be one of the most annoying websites ever!!!)

[zanacal]

Thanks Atomic, that's interesting. I suspect he doesn't drink enough of it to have much effect at all, positive or negative, but I was freaking out a little every time he poured a cup because I knew the blue ladies took green tea! I'll read the links you posted about caffeine and so on.

Thanks doublechoc - DH isn't making any changes to his diet so he won't be interested in hearing about the lemon though, just wondered if the caffeine aspect was worth hassling him about

[zanacal]

Atomic, what's the sex ratio in Italy? When DH goes there on business he always comments on how much his colleagues drink coffee and how strong they take it - like 3 shots without milk one after the next!

[atomic sagebrush]

1.07 - 107 boys for every 100 girls. That Mediterranean diet is great for fertility!!

[zanacal]

Lol!

Going back to caffeine, what's the reason it's sometimes excluded from a girl diet (for both mum and dad)? Doesn't too much caffeine lower fertility?

[atomic sagebrush]

It's a no-no in the girl diet because it may interfere with calcium.

Too much caffeine DOES lower fertility and sperm count and a lot of the guys DH works with who drink those energy drinks all day long, have TONS of girls.

[zanacal]

OK, since I don't want to sweat the things which aren't big factors, I'm wondering if I just let DH carry on as he is. He probably has 4 or 5 cups of coffee or tea during the day while he's at work (only 1 or 2 on weekends) then he might have a green tea in the evening. He will also drink the odd energy drink if he's travelling a long distance for work. I'm not at all fussed about the calcium issue (he doesn't have much anyway!). Perhaps I'll just make sure he doesn't have any too close to BDing, just in case!

I have been drinking caffeine free diet coke without really considering the reason I've been buying caffeine free. I had a diet Pepsi from the machine at work and it tasted SO much better so I think I'll switch! I do have a couple of coffees a day too but I think the reason for me not having too much of that is that there are nutrients of some sort in tea and coffee, is that right?

[atomic sagebrush]

I would totally let DH carry on and not sweat it. My husband was total "caffeine in moderation" and you can see the results.

I TOTALLY think that diet Pepsi tastes better than diet Coke. I don't know what it is exactly but the results are the same.

Yes, you're right about tea and coffee, if you're not super worried about the calcium, it's the antioxidants that you should beware of. But that having been said, my mom drinks ONLY coffee and tea all day every day and she has girls and only one boy.