Is semen quality affected by male body fat distribution?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of semen parameters, sexual function-related hormones and waist/hip ratio. Eighty-one selected patients presenting with infertility were examined. Weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference were measured, and reproduction-related hormone levels were determined. Semen was analysed by conventional methods. Semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, total motile sperm cell number, rapid progressive motile sperm count and reproduction-related hormone levels [follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, testosterone, 17beta-oestradiol and sexual hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)]. Significant correlations were found: (i) weight, waist circumference and hip circumference versus testosterone level, SHBG level, and testosterone/17beta-oestradiol ratio; (ii) hip circumference versus sperm concentration; (iii) waist circumference and hip circumference versus sperm count, total motile sperm cell number and rapid progressive motile sperm count; (iv) weight versus total sperm count and total motile sperm cell number; (v) waist circumference and hip circumference versus prolactin level (positively) and SHBG (negatively); (vi) waist circumference and waist/hip ratio versus semen volume. It can be concluded that the waist/hip ratio is correlated with the reproductive hormone levels. Although both the waist circumference and hip circumference correlated with the semen characteristics, the waist/hip ratio did not.

Lifestyle and semen quality: role of modifiable risk factors

“…A dose-response relationship between BMI and male infertility was observed in the study performed in Finland [Sallmen et al 2006]. In Hungary significant correlations were found between waist and hip circumferences and semen characteristics [Fejes et al 2005b]. Jensen et al [2004a] noticed a reduction in sperm concentration and total sperm count among overweight, obese, and underweight men.…”

Metabolic syndrome in white European men presenting for primary couple's infertility: investigation of the clinical and reproductive burden

“…An excess of adipose tissue is responsible for hormonal imbalance, especially when considering the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (Donato et al, 2011). Nevertheless, evidence linking obesity with impaired semen parameters is still conflicting and far from conclusive (Fejes et al, 2005;Kasturi et al, 2008;Hammiche et al, 2012;Eisenberg et al, 2014). Belloc et al (2014) described in a large cohort study including 10,665 men how increased BMI was associated with decreased semen volume, concentration, and motility.…”

Female offspring sired by diet induced obese male mice display impaired blastocyst development with molecular alterations to their ovaries, oocytes and cumulus cells

“…More than one-third of men of reproductive age in the United States are classified as obese [1]. Paternal obesity not only impairs male fertility by impacting sperm count, motility and chromatin integrity [2][3][4][5][6][7] but also reduces subsequent embryo development, implantation rates, pregnancy success and live birth rates [8][9][10][11][12]. Interestingly metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, in fathers is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome in daughters [13].…”