Association between obesity-associated markers and semen quality parameters and serum reproductive hormones in Chinese infertile men

Abstract

Background The current evidence on the association between obesity-associated markers and semen quality, serum reproductive hormones and lipids remains inconsistent. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that, in infertile Chinese men, body mass index (BMI) negatively correlates with sperm concentration, serum total testosterone (TT), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The relationship between other obesity-associated markers and semen quality parameters, serum reproductive hormones, lipids and leptin were also investigated. Methods 181 Chinese infertile men were recruited from September 2018 to September 2019. Their obesity-associated markers, semen parameters, and serum reproductive hormones, lipids and leptin were detected. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the relationship between obesity-associated markers and semen quality, serum reproductive hormones, lipids and leptin. Result(s) Statistically negative correlation was found between other obesity-associated markers (e.g. waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio) and semen parameters (e.g. sperm concentration, ratio of progressive motility and ratio of non-progressive motility), while no significant correlation was found between BMI and semen quality, serum reproductive hormones, lipids and leptin. Ratio of morphologically normal sperm was negatively correlated with serum lipids including total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), leptin and seminal superoxide dismutase. Ratio of progressive sperm, sperm concentration and ratio of morphologically normal sperm exhibited significantly lower values in overweight group than normal group. Estradiol (E2) and E2/TT were significantly higher in obese group than normal group, while TT level was significantly lower in obese group than normal group. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that TC was significantly associated with BMI. Serum leptin concentration was positively correlated with seminal leptin concentration in overweight and obese groups. Conclusion(s) No significant correlation was found between BMI and sperm concentration, serum TT and HDL-C, while other obesity-associated markers were found to negatively correlate with sperm concentration, ratio of progressive motility and ratio of non-progressive motility. Statistically significant correlations between serum reproductive hormones, lipids and leptin also existed in Chinese infertile men.

Relationship between obesity‐related markers, biochemical metabolic parameters, hormonal profiles and sperm parameters among men attending an infertility clinic

“…We discovered that the Ow and Ob groups had greater serum insulin and E2 levels than the Nw group. In contrast, the Ob group had lower levels of serum HDL‐C, T, and the T/E2 ratio, which is consistent with prior fertility clinic investigations (Ma et al, 2020; Öztekin et al, 2020).…”

“…The ratio of WC over hip circumference was determined as WHR, while the ratio of WC over height was calculated as WHtR (WHO, 2000). The WHO Asia Pacific recommendations were used to define generalized obesity and abdominal obesity in men, with WC cut‐offs of 90 cm, WHR cut‐offs of 0.90, and WHtR cut‐offs of 0.56 (Cai et al, 2013; Ma et al, 2020).…”

“…Male obesity has been linked to infertility in studies (Kasturi et al, 2008; Ma et al, 2020), although the evidence is mixed. Increased BMI was strongly linked with poor seminal parameters in a cohort study of 10,655 males in France (Belloc et al, 2014).…”

“…With this in mind, several studies that have looked at the relationship between fertility and obesity have used BMI as a measure of obesity (Kasturi et al, 2008; Ma et al, 2020). However, little is known about the potential role of obesity‐related markers in BMI in different men, such as hip circumference (HC), waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), waist to height ratio (WHtR), body fat mass (BFM), skeletal muscle (SM), resting metabolism (RM), visceral fat (VF), visceral adiposity index (VAI) and the relationship between these factors and biochemical metabolic parameters, hormonal profiles, and sperm parameters.…”

Does an increase in adipose tissue ‘weight’ affect male fertility? A systematic review and meta‐analysis based on semen analysis performed using the WHO 2010 criteria

“…Out of 865 retrieved articles, 29 were included in the study 42–70 (Table 1). The study flow is summarized in Figure S1.…”