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Science-Based Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Can Help Improve Fertility

Pumpkin seeds can improve one’s chances of being fertile. The seeds are rich in zinc, a mineral that improves fertility in men. Low levels of zinc in the blood are linked to lower sperm quality and an increased risk of male infertility. [23]

Zinc increases the level of testosterone production in the body as well as the quality and quantity of sperms produced. [24] Studies using mice have found that pumpkin seed oils may also prevent humans from sperm damage caused by chemotherapy and autoimmune diseases. [25]

May Regulate Help Blood Pressure

It is suggested that pumpkin seeds are beneficial in managing blood pressure. [26] This is likely because pumpkin seeds are a rich source of magnesium. According to some research, magnesium plays an important role in the treatment of high blood pressure. [27] The details of how this happens are obscure.

Some studies on the effects of magnesium supplements on hypertensive people have led to conflicting results on its level of potency. Further studies are needed to understand the role magnesium plays in the regulation of blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

Pumpkin seeds also increase the generation of nitric oxide in the body. [28] Nitric oxide expands the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow with less resistance. This can help lower blood pressure. A 12-week study on the effects of pumpkin seeds in postmenopausal women found that treatment with pumpkin seed oils reduced diastolic blood pressure readings by 7 percent. [29]