Obesity can have a negative effect on sperm quality

Health[1] Health[1]Men's health [2]Norway [3]Forskning.no [4] There is a link between obesity and poor sperm quality. New research shows that fatty acids such as Omega3 may be an important explanation. Considering the fact that more and more people struggle with overweight and obesity, both in Norway and internationally, there is cause for concern, according to the researcher behind the study Jorunn M Andersen, associate professor at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA). Andersen defended her PhD thesis entitled ‘Semen quality in relation to obesity, sperm fatty acid composition, and anti-Müllerian hormone’. Andersen, associate professor at HiOA is part of the research group Male Reproductive Health at the university college. Today, close to one in five men in Norway are obese and 50 per cent have a BMI (body mass index) over 25 and are categorised as overweight. "If this obesity trend continues, more and more men may have problems reproducing," says researcher Andersen, who studies sperm quality and male reproductive health. Big individual differences Previous research has documented that it is harder for obese women to become pregnant. Andersen and her colleagues’ research shows that obesity is also detrimental to men’s sperm quality and reproductive health. (See fact box) Although there are major individual differences also within the group with high BMI, the probability of poor sperm quality increases in line with weight. If the obesity trend continues, more and more people may have trouble having children. The study is based on results from 166 men with major variation in BMI. But why does obesity have a negative effect on sperm quality? Andersen has particularly examined the composition of fatty acids in sperm.