In modern life, many couples often eat dinner late, skip breakfast, or have irregular meal schedules. Although these habits may not seem worrying, there is increasing evidence that eating times can affect reproductive health.
The human body operates according to a natural biological clock, also known as circadian rhythm, which helps regulate sleep, metabolism and hormone secretion throughout the day.
Dr. Snehadarshini Karanth, Fertility & IVF Specialist, Birla Fertility & IVF, Bangalore (India) said: "The body operates according to the circadian rhythm, an internal clock that regulates not only sleep but also hormone secretion, insulin response and metabolic function." Eating times today are considered as important as what we eat.
In fact, urban lifestyles make many people maintain unstable meal schedules. Dinners after 10 pm, skipping breakfast or eating in bulk on weekends are common habits.
These habits, especially eating late and constantly changing meal times, can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm," Dr. Karanth said.
When eating time is disrupted, hormone regulation systems in the body are also affected. This is especially important for reproductive hormones such as luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin and testosterone. This disorder can make the ovulation process in women less stable, and also affect sperm quality in men.
Eating late dinner can also negatively affect metabolism. Consuming a lot of food at night, when the body tends to rest, increases blood sugar and insulin at the wrong time.
In the long run, this can contribute to insulin resistance, common in women with irregular menstrual cycles or poor ovarian response," she explained.
This effect is not limited to women. In men, metabolic disorders due to irregular eating can also affect testosterone levels and sperm quality, thereby reducing fertility.
Eating time is a factor that can be adjusted in daily lifestyle. According to Dr. Snehadarshini Karanth, the body does not separate eating from reproductive function, so couples should maintain stable meal times, prioritize eating dinner early and limit eating too late to support hormone balance.
In addition, not skipping breakfast and limiting meal schedule changes on weekends also helps the body maintain a stable circadian rhythm. These small changes can contribute to improving hormone balance and supporting fertility over time.
Not only what to eat but when to eat also affects reproductive health. Maintaining the habit of eating on time, limiting late dinner is a simple but important step to help couples improve their chances of conception.
