Higher Body Fat Linked to Lower Sperm Count in Men

Researchers from Aarhus University published a study in Human Reproduction, revealing that body fat percentage may serve as a more accurate indicator of male reproductive health than body mass index (BMI). The study involved 1,058 young Danish men, averaging 18 years and nine months, whose body fat percentages were measured and categorized.

Findings indicated that men with higher body fat had significantly lower sperm counts, with those in the high body-fat group experiencing a 23% reduction in sperm count compared to those with normal body fat. Additionally, men with very high body fat had a 15% lower sperm count.

The study also noted that higher body fat correlated with lower testosterone levels and changes in reproductive hormones. Nis Brix, the study's first author, emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy body composition for male fertility.

Urologists Philip Werthman and S Adam Ramin, who were not involved in the research, acknowledged the impact of obesity on male infertility and the potential for low sperm count to indicate underlying health issues.