Do aging, drinking and having an unhealthy weight have a synergic impacto on semen quality?

RAMÍREZ ND; MOLINA R; TISSERA A; FUX-OTTA C; ESTOFÁN G; MANGEAUD A; MARTINI AC

Congreso; Virtual 19th International Congress of Endocrinology, 4th Latin American Congress of Endocrinology and 13th Congress of the Argentine Federation of Endocrinology Societies.; 2021

Background: Several factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, are known to exert detrimental effects on sperm quality. Among them, age, alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI) are known to impact on male reproductive health. However, studies evaluate these factors separately, and currently there are no reports about their possible combined effects. This study aims to examine the combined effects of age, alcohol consumption and body mass index on seminal parameters.Design: Retrospective study of a sample of 12695 patients attending an andrology laboratory in Cordoba-Argentine (from 2011 to 2017). Data on patients age and daily alcohol intake were voluntarily provided by patients. Patients weight and height were recorded in the andrology laboratory, to calculate BMI. Seminal parameters evaluated were: Semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, morphology, nuclear maturity, viability and membrane functional integrity. The primary outcome was the possible synergic interaction between these three factors on seminal quality and the order in which these factors affect each seminal parameter. Results: Almost all the seminal parameters evaluated in this study were affected by at least, two synergic interactions, except for nuclear maturity that records only one synergy (Age x Alcohol), and sperm morphology, which records the three synergic interactions. Age x BMI showed more synergic effects than other combinations, suggesting that these two factors may have a higher detrimental effect than alcohol consumption. In the logistic regression analysis, age was the more powerful factor, since it impacted first in six from the nine seminal parameters evaluated; BMI was the second. Like in a previous study, we found a J-shape association between BMI and semen quality, with not only obesity but also underweight affecting seminal quality. Alcohol consumption was the parameter that impacted last in the logistic regression analysis, except for nuclear maturity that seems to be especially affected by alcohol. Conclusion: All the factors considered in this study showed a synergic impact on semen parameters, and each combination included at least one extrinsic factor (BMI or alcohol consumption). It is possible to assume that reducing the exposure to lifestyle risk factors is a promising alternative for improving sperm quality in infertility patients.