Obesity Tied to Poor Sperm Quality

Obesity in men is associated with poor sperm quality, as well as a higher risk for ologospermia and asthenospermia, according to a recent study.

Previous studies have suggested the likelihood of abnormal spermatozoa among men with obesity. However, the results of these studies have been inconclusive.
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For their study, the researchers retrospectively assessed 1285 men with obesity with computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) data at a single infertility clinic in 2016. Obesity was defined as having a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m².

Results indicated that obesity in men is associated with numerous abnormal sperm parameters, including lower sperm volume, count, concentration, progressive motility, and total motility, as well as a higher percentage of head defects, thin heads, and pyriform heads. The researchers also found that the risk of oligospermia and asthenospermia had been higher among men with obesity.

“This is the first report of abnormal sperm parameters in obese men based on CASA,” the researchers concluded. “Clinicians may need to factor in paternal obesity prior to assisted reproduction.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Ramaraju GA, Teppala S, Prathigudupu K, et al. Association between obesity and sperm quality [Published online September 19, 2017]. Andrologia. doi:10.1111/and.12888.