Looks like most of the health related ailment men seem to face these days has something to do with the quality of their semen. A recent study conducted seems to have proved the same as well. Conducted with over 9000 participants, the study has revealed that several health related disorders men face are either directly or indirectly linked to defects in their semen.
Conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, the study established that poor semen quality in men could increase their chances of contracting other health conditions like hypertension, skin related issues and endocrine disorders.
Many indicate that the study could open up areas of potential treatment options for fertility based on these conditions. It also pinpoints the need to opt for an overall health check-up when dealing with infertility so that more serious underlying conditions can be detected and treated in a timely manner.
Previous Studies establish the same fact
Another study conducted a few years ago also pointed out at the potential links between infertility and other health conditions in men. Accordingly, the study revealed that men with infertility issues have higher rates of mortality via heart related problems. The startling thing here is that these troublesome signs are cropping up in men under 30 years of age as well.
The Study Procedure
The new study saw researchers combing through over 9000 medical records pertaining to men between the ages of 30 and 50 years. The research was carried out over a period of 17 years from 1994 to 2011. During this period, the various causes of infertility in men were studied and analysed. The study was further facilitated by the participants who contributed regular semen samples, with the researchers checking the vital signs of the same, including motility, concentration and volume.
In most cases, the main cause for infertility in men was found to be abnormal semen while the rest of the cases pointed out other reasons. The researchers then grouped the men with semen defects in one category, against another group with other reasons for infertility.
Results of the Study
The group with semen defects was studied separately for possible side effects. The men belonging to this group comprised of men in their late 30s’, with the median age being 38. The study revealed that over 44% of the men in this group reported other health problems in addition to infertility. Investigators were able to find potential links between the semen quality of these men and specific diseases pertaining to the circulatory system, namely heart disease, hypertension and vascular disease.
The study also established that with the increase in the number of defects in the semen automatically increased an individual’s risk of being affected by conditions like endocrine disorders or skin diseases. In all of these cases, it was noted that with poorer semen quality, the possibility of being affected by a serious health problem rose substantially.
How are semen and other bodily functions connected?
While the main purpose of the study was to find links between semen deficiency and other health related problems in men, investigators also made it a point to find out exactly how these problems are interlinked with each other.
It was noted that nearly 15% of genes in the human body are either directly or indirectly connected to fertility and reproduction. Most of these genes are connected to the other bodily functions as well. Hence, any effect in semen quality would spell an instant change in these bodily functions as well. The investigators feel in some cases, it is not actually a disease that causes infertility in men but the treatment for the disease that causes reproductive malfunction.
Summary
A recent study has pointed out that semen deficiencies in men can also cause other health related conditions in men. The study aims to underline the importance of men opting for a complete body check-up to check for other underlying problems other than just infertility.