Effects of alcohol and cigarette consumption upon human seminal quality.

MARTINI AC; MOLINA RI; ESTOFÁN D; SENESTRARI D; FIOL DE CUNEO M; RUIZ RD

FERTILITY AND STERILITY

Elsevier Science

Año: 2004 vol. 82 p. 374 - 377

0015-0282

  Objective: To evaluate the effects of alcohol and/or cigarette consumption upon some seminal parameters of a large number of men attending an andrology laboratory. Design: Ten year data (1990-1999) were collected and analyzed. Setting: Andrology and Reproduction Laboratory (LAR, Córdoba, Argentina). Patients: 3976 patients were grouped according to: NS, non smoker; S1, up to 20 cigarettes/day; S2, more than 20 cigarettes/day. NA, non alcohol consumer; A1, up to 500 ml of wine (@ 6.5 g ethanol) or equivalent/day; A2, more than 500 ml of wine or equivalent/day. Patients that consume alcohol plus cigarettes were also considered. Main outcome measures: seminal volume, sperm concentration, motility, viability and morphology. Results and discussion: no statistical differences were found between the degrees of alcohol or tobacco consumption; so, patients were considered as smokers or alcohol consumers. Alcohol or cigarette consumption did not alter the seminal parameters. Nevertheless, when the patients with these two habits were compared to those with none toxic habit, a significant reduction in seminal volume, sperm concentration, percentage of motile spermatozoa and a significant increase of the non-motile viable gametes were detected. A synergic and/or additive effect of these two toxic habits is discussed.