Men with low sperm counts
are more likely to have a number of health issues that put them at increased
risk of illness, new research suggests. A study of 5,177 men found those with low sperm
counts were 20% more likely to have more body fat, higher blood pressure and
more "bad" cholesterol.
They were also much more likely to have low
testosterone levels. The study's authors said it showed that men with
low sperm counts should also be tested for other health problems.
'Risk factors'
Low sperm count and problems with sperm quality are
factors in around one in three couples who are struggling to get pregnant. But for this new study scientists analysed men in
infertile couples in Italy, to see whether semen quality is also a marker for men's
general health.
They found more of the men with low sperm counts
had metabolic syndrome - a cluster of risk factors including a higher body mass
index (BMI) and raised blood pressure. These increase the risk of developing
diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
The men were also 12 times more likely to have low
testosterone levels, which reduce muscle mass and bone density and can be a
precursor to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes them
more likely to break.
Dr Alberto Ferlin, who led the study, said:
"Infertile men are likely to have important co-existing health problems or
risk factors that can impair quality of life and shorten their lives. "Fertility evaluation gives men the unique
opportunity for health assessment and disease prevention."
However, the study's authors stressed that their
research did not prove that low sperm counts cause metabolic problems, but
rather that the two are linked. They said low testosterone levels in particular
were associated with these health issues.
Dr Ferlin said the research showed that it was
important that men being treated for infertility were given proper health
checks. "Men of couples having difficulties achieving
pregnancy should be correctly diagnosed, and followed up by their fertility specialists
and primary care doctor because they could have an increased chance of
morbidity and mortality," he said.
'Canary in coal mine'
Kevin McEleny, a consultant urologist at Newcastle
Fertility Centre, said at the moment men with sperm problems are rarely
investigated for other health problems. "This is a message to fertility clinics,
particularly, to think about these other health issues in the patients they
see.
"It might be the case that it's not just about
fertility, about sperm in the men, but taking a slightly wider view of male
health when they see these people and think about what else needs to be done to
get the patients as healthy as possible."
Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the
University of Sheffield, said more research is needed to properly understand
the relationship between fertility problems in men and other health issues. "There is currently no suggestion that male
sub-fertility causes health problems later in life and in my opinion, it is
more likely that they both have a common cause.
"However, this highlights why we need to
design better studies to investigate male sub-fertility as it could be an
important 'canary in the coal mine' for other aspects of male health." The study will be presented at ENDO 2018, the
Endocrine Society's 100th annual meeting in Chicago.
Source: BBC