Infertility Is Associated With Increased Metabolic Risk

Infertile men are at increased risk of metabolic disease as they get older, according to recent research.

Previous research has linked poor semen quality to decreased life expectancy, but little is know about the cause of this association.

In their study, researchers followed 192 men with low sperm count attending the Reproductive Medicine Centre at Skane University Hospital in Malmo, Sweden. The men were compared against 199 age-matched controls. Researchers compared sex hormone levels, bone mineral density, HbA1c levels, and other biomarkers for chronic disease.

Overall, they found that a third of the men under 50 with fertility problems also had signs of low testosterone, 7 times more common then among controls. They also had lower bone density and elevated glucose and insulin resistance.

"We found that a significant proportion of men from infertile couples show biochemical signs of hypogonadism. This may be affecting their fertility, but they can also serve as early warning signs for metabolic diseases in later life, such as osteoporosis or diabetes. We would recommend that levels of reproductive hormones should be checked in all men seeking advice for fertility problems. Those at risk of serious disease should be followed after the completion of fertility treatment," they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Europena Association of Urology. Almost 1/3 of infertile men at increased risk of metabolic diseases as they age [press release]. March 12, 2016. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/eaou-a1o030816.php.