Associations between physical activity and semen quality in young healthy men

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 107; no. 2; pp. 373 - 378.e2
• Main Authors: Jóźków, Paweł, M.D., Ph.D, Mędraś, Marek, M.D., Ph.D, Lwow, Felicja, Ph.D, Zagrodna, Aleksandra, Ph.D, Słowińska-Lisowska, Małgorzata, Ph.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Educational Status; Exercise; Health Status; Healthy Lifestyle; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Obstetrics and Gynecology; physical activity; Physical Fitness; semen analysis; Semen quality parameters; Sperm Motility; Young Adult; Semen quality parameters; semen analysis; physical activity
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.11.004

Objective To evaluate whether the level of everyday physical activity is associated with semen quality in young men. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Universities, clubs, and societies. Patient(s) Young healthy men (aged 18–35 years) with unknown fertility (n = 177). Interventions(s) Collection of data on medical history, lifestyle factors (physical activity, nutrition, addictions), and environmental threats (exposure of gonads to cellular phones, laptops). Collection of semen samples. Main Outcome Measure(s) Semen parameters. Result(s) Men who were physically more active (3rd and 4th quartiles) had a higher percentage of immotile sperm than less active subjects (1st and 2nd quartiles). The mean (95% confidence interval) percentages were, respectively: 53% (38%–69%) and 51% (41%–61%) versus 38% (28%–49%) and 39% (29%–48%). Other semen parameters were unrelated to physical effort. Conclusion(s) Physical activity might be associated with an altered percentage of immotile sperm in young, lean, educated men who have not fathered children.