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Impact of Obesity on Sperm Quality and Male Fertility
The problem of obesity has reached critical levels in some countries and is growing in India. According to a piece published by NDTV in 2014, India ranks third behind the U.S. and China, with 41 million people considered obese.
The health problems associated with being overweight are many, and fertility problems are no exception.
- While planning a pregnancy, women are often advised on how to change their lifestyles by reducing weight, cutting their intake of sugary &caffeinated drinks, stop smoking and drinking if they want to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy.
- More preference is given to the health of women when trying to conceive.
- The focus is less on the lifestyle choices of men, but it should be kept in mind that it takes two to conceive.
- The overall health of both partners must be considered for healthy conception, including the impact of obesity on sperm quality.
- Also, according to a new study, it has been found that men's health can have a more significant effect on a couple's chances of conceiving by adversely affecting sperm quality.
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Get A Second OpinionCan A Man's Weight Affect His Fertility?
- Research says that there is a connection between a man's weight and his potential fertility.
- Many emerging studies prove that male obesity adversely impacts fertility through changes in the hormonal levels affecting sperm production, which results in low sperm count in obese men.
- Besides, in these men, sperm motility (movement: which is necessary to swim up in the female reproductive tract) was also found to be poor.
- Due to reduced sperm motility and low sperm count, it becomes difficult for these men to conceive.
- If this kind of obesity trend continues, then more and more men will have problems reproducing.
How Does A Man's Weight Affect The Quality And Quantity Of Sperm?
Fertility specialists nowadays handle cases where up to a third of couples who come to seek help in conceiving deal with male-factor infertility, and so it has become necessary for researchers to investigate how a man's lifestyle may affect his fertility.
This topic is still not clearly understood, but specialists believe that some theories can explain how excess body fat impacts male fertility, and the theories are as below:
Erectile Dysfunction:
Obese males have higher rates of erectile dysfunction. The reason is that high blood pressure caused by obesity can affect the blood flow to the penis hence making it difficult to attain or sustain an erection.
Increased Scrotal Temperature:
- Sperm production is highly sensitive to temperature, and an increase in the testicular temperature reduces sperm production and function, therefore, affecting sperm count and quality.
- In an obese man, the insulation of excess body fat may raise the scrotal temperature, thereby causing damage to the sperm.
Testosterone levels:
- Excess adipose tissues (fat) convert testosterone to oestrogen, and extra oestrogen in a man's body can negatively impact sperm count and sperm quality.
- Excessive body fat and low muscle mass keep testosterone levels below normal and increase the female hormone oestrogen leading to reduced production of sperm and semen.
Role of fatty acids in Sperm Quality:
- Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for our health, including sperm health and quality.
- Studies show that men with a high BMI have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the beneficial DHA, in sperm cells compared to those with a healthy weight.
- The reduced availability of these beneficial fatty acids in sperm cells can affect sperm quality, including sperm shape and motility.
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Book an AppointmentConclusion:
Due to obesity, changes happen in sperm function and sperm molecular composition, and this affects the overall quality of the sperm.
Poor sperm quality can lower fertility thereby affecting the chances of conception.
In these men, semen parameters were found to be altered, as excess weight can be linked to lower semen volume, reduced sperm counts, and decreased sperm concentration.
In case both the parents are obese, then parental obesity at conception can have harmful effects on the embryo health, its implantation, and consequently pregnancy and birth rates. In such cases losing weight could improve sperm and egg quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, being overweight can lower the quality and quantity of sperm.
Yes, losing weight can improve sperm quality and increase the chances of having a baby.
Sperm quality includes how well the sperm can move, their shape, and how many are healthy.
Good sperm quality is important because it helps the sperm reach and fertilize the egg.
Yes, obesity can make it harder for men to have children because it can lower sperm quality and quantity.
Extra fat can change how the body makes hormones, which can affect sperm production.
High stress levels can affect hormone balance and sperm quality, so managing stress is important.
Even losing a small amount of weight can help improve sperm quality and overall health.
Yes, obesity can lower the chances of successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) because it affects sperm quality.
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