Role of Obesity in Low Sperm Count & Male Infertility

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The conclusion therefore, by Dr Ana Carolina Martini, the lead researcher and her team, from The National University of Cordoba, Argentina was that an increase in weight in a man will probably lower his fertility but will not lead to sterility. However, an obese man could positively improve his sperm quality by losing some weight. In effect, it could probably reverse the imbalance in reproductive hormones linked to obesity, to improve fertility.

Nevertheless, the study appeared to have two major limitations.

1. The focus of the study was not on obesity and its effect on fertility, but more on infertility problems in couples, and these findings were incidental. The question therefore was whether the findings would apply to all obese men in general.

2. The researchers used BMI (body mass index- using their height to measure weight) to measure obesity in these subjects. BMI does not indicate a person's exact level of body fat. Besides abdominal fat may be more predictive of sex hormone levels than BMI.

For now, more work needs be done with a focus to co-relate obesity with sperm quality and fertility, to see where it could be stemmed, as today obesity is becoming a pandemic, and fertility levels may drastically fall.

What is undoubtedly clear is that male fitness and health are linked to a man's fertility, so be it obesity or underweight they both inevitably lead to low sperm counts.

Note: If you are overweight or obese and are facing issues of male infertility please contact your doctor to discuss options.

The dietitians at NutritionVista can help you embark on a weight loss regimen that will provide you not just sustainable weight loss but also a moderate exercise program and balanced nutrition. (Assess your BMI & WHR to get a report)

By Vijayalakshmi Iyengar,

Sr. Dietitian Online,

NutritionVista.com

Sources:

1.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15482761

2.http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_95410.html

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User Comments

06 August, 2011 | Vijayalakshmi Iyengar | Reply

Male obesity is associated with increased incidence of low sperm concentration and low progressively motile sperm count' was the result of a study `Effect of male obesity on sperm parameters and erectile dysfunction' conducted on obese males in UTAH*. The study was on 526 patients and it was found that the incidence of oligozoospermia increased with increasing BMI: normal weight = 5.32%, overweight = 9.52%, and obese = 15.62%. The prevalence of a low progressively motile sperm count was also greater with increasing BMI. The obese men tend to have
. Lower sperm counts,
. Fewer rapidly mobile sperms and
. Fewer progressively motile sperms.
On the other hand older men tend to have
. Lower sperm quality than younger men, and
. They also tend to have more body fat.
SO would you agree it pays to lose/manage your weight in more ways than one?

*Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

09 April, 2010 | Poonam Vaswani | Reply

Hello Samir,
Consumption of a wholesome diet is important in providing a variety of nutrients to the body.
Special attention should be given to foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, shell fish, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, wheat bran , nuts, red meats, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and selenium , such as Brazil nuts, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, shell fish, tunas, liver, lentils, cashew nuts ,eggs & cottage cheese.
Lycopene found in tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruits and pink guavas and folic acid that is found in liver, kidney, yolk, asparagus, beet roots, broccoli, beans, citrus fruits and other dark green leafy vegetables are also beneficial in increasing sperm count
Vitamin B12 rich foods like, liver, kidney, sardines, fatty fish, eggs & fortified foods also help.
The diet should also be rich in antioxidants.
Consumption of at least 8-10 glasses of water helps to flush out toxins from the body.
Thank You for your query.
Poonam Vaswani
Dietitian, NutritionVista.com

09 April, 2010 | janki patel | Reply

Hello Samir,
Vitamin C enhances sperm quality,protecting sprem and the DNA from damage. Citrus fruits,sprouts and green veges are good sources of Vitamin C.Similarly Vitamin E increases fertility.However, alcohol and caffeine may decrease fertilty and sprem counts by almost half.

08 April, 2010 | sameer | Reply

Hi,This is sameer,I liked the article, I also want to know the foods which can help to increase the sperm count.

08 April, 2010 | sonia | Reply

Which foods will help to increase sperm count?

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