Scientists identify sperm damage factors that lead to infertility in men, Check here

Digital Desk: Scientists have come across the key risk factors that might affect sperm quality, resulting in infertility. In a new discovery, Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, found the most harmful elements that can harm sperm material.

Pollution, smoking, varicocele, diabetes, testicular tumours, and ageing were discovered to have the highest impact on sperm cell quality.

The study was published in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, and it looked at factors that could alter the fragmentation of sperm's genetic content.

"At the moment, the only evidence-based test for determining the functionality of sperm cells is DNA fragmentation analysis." It evaluates the DNA content of the sperm, specifically the proportion of intact or fragmented genetic material. "The more fragmented the DNA, the less fertile the sperm; it can also increase the risk of miscarriage," said Dr Zsolt Kopa, head of the Andrology Centre at Semmelweis University's Department of Urology.

The researchers based their findings on roughly 27,000 studies, making it the largest meta-analysis to date.

The current study found that smoking increased DNA fragmentation by an average of 9.19% when compared to nonsmokers. Aside from that, neither alcohol consumption nor body weight had a clinically significant effect on sperm quality.

Certain infections, such as Chlamydia and HPV, had no effect on sperm quality, but bacterial or other sexually transmitted diseases caused more DNA fragmentation (8.98% and 5.54%).

In line with earlier studies, the fertility rate in Western industrialised countries is declining: one in every six couples struggles with infertility. There are numerous causes, with men accounting for nearly half of the cases.

One explanation could be a high rate of DNA fragmentation. As a result, doctors advise optimising lifestyle factors even before trying for a kid. Quitting smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, or eating more healthily, for example, could be an excellent place to start.