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- Mar 2, 2009
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Bro Alert: Too Much Booze May Harm Your Sperm
The more alcohol young men drink, the lower their sperm count and quality may be, new research suggests.
"Many studies have shown that excessive alcohol intake is bad for general health, but few have shown impacts on reproductive health, except at very high levels," said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, an assistant professor of urology at Stanford University School of Medicine who was not involved with the study. "This provides another lifestyle factor that men could be counseled about when trying to conceive."
However, because of the study's design, the research couldn't show that alcohol was the cause of sperm changes, only that higher levels of drinking were associated with fewer and less quality sperm. The researchers said they did try to take other possible causes into account, however.
"We tried to adjust for other possible factors like diet, smoking, weight, etc., which did not explain the association. But we cannot rule out whether this effect may be due to other factors [not measured] associated with alcohol intake," Jensen said....
Sperm concentration, total sperm count and percentage of normal sperm were all poorer among men having at least five drinks a week, compared to those drinking just one drink weekly.
The amount of testosterone measured in the men's blood, however, increased as their alcohol intake increased.The drop in sperm count and quality became particularly significant among men downing at least 25 drinks a week. Those drinking 40 or more drinks a week had a 33 percent lower sperm concentration than those consuming one to five drinks a week....being intoxicated can lead to changes in hormones and other chemicals in the body, including cortisol, glucose, insulin and male hormones. "All of these would affect sperm quality," he said. And, poor sperm quality can affect fertility, he added.
"Given the known health impacts of excessive drinking, these new studies provide newer risk factors for higher alcohol consumption," Eisenberg said. "Thus, moderation is probably best."
Source: Health&Fitness News
The more alcohol young men drink, the lower their sperm count and quality may be, new research suggests.
"Many studies have shown that excessive alcohol intake is bad for general health, but few have shown impacts on reproductive health, except at very high levels," said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, an assistant professor of urology at Stanford University School of Medicine who was not involved with the study. "This provides another lifestyle factor that men could be counseled about when trying to conceive."
However, because of the study's design, the research couldn't show that alcohol was the cause of sperm changes, only that higher levels of drinking were associated with fewer and less quality sperm. The researchers said they did try to take other possible causes into account, however.
"We tried to adjust for other possible factors like diet, smoking, weight, etc., which did not explain the association. But we cannot rule out whether this effect may be due to other factors [not measured] associated with alcohol intake," Jensen said....
Sperm concentration, total sperm count and percentage of normal sperm were all poorer among men having at least five drinks a week, compared to those drinking just one drink weekly.
The amount of testosterone measured in the men's blood, however, increased as their alcohol intake increased.The drop in sperm count and quality became particularly significant among men downing at least 25 drinks a week. Those drinking 40 or more drinks a week had a 33 percent lower sperm concentration than those consuming one to five drinks a week....being intoxicated can lead to changes in hormones and other chemicals in the body, including cortisol, glucose, insulin and male hormones. "All of these would affect sperm quality," he said. And, poor sperm quality can affect fertility, he added.
"Given the known health impacts of excessive drinking, these new studies provide newer risk factors for higher alcohol consumption," Eisenberg said. "Thus, moderation is probably best."
Source: Health&Fitness News
