Abstract
Alcohol consumption has commonly been associated with semen parameters. However, the association between alcohol intake and semen parameters in primary and secondary infertile men remains unclear. In this study, 776 infertile men from China were grouped according to alcohol intake: abstainers, moderate drinkers (<9 units/week, up to approximately 100 g of ethanol) and heavy drinkers (≥9 units/week). Semen parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility and normal morphology were investigated. Alcohol consumption and other lifestyle factors were assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied. There was no significant association between alcohol consumption and semen parameters in men with primary infertility. Smaller testis volumes and lower sperm concentrations were found among moderate and heavy drinkers in the secondary infertility group than among abstainers. After adjustment for potential confounders, men with secondary infertility and heavy alcohol consumption had a higher risk of abnormal sperm concentrations (OR = 3.72; 95% CI, 1.04, 13.37). These findings suggest that alcohol intake may decrease sperm concentrations in men with secondary infertility, whereas no association was found in men with primary infertility. It may be beneficial for clinicians to advise male patients with secondary infertility who are seeking fertility treatment to avoid heavy alcohol consumption.
Highlights
A reduction in sperm concentration of approximately one-half was reported in a meta-analysis of Asian men over the past 35 years, and low semen quality was associated with male subfertility (Sengupta et al, 2017)
The men in the secondary infertility group were significantly older than the men in the primary infertility group and serum TT levels were lower among men with secondary infertility
Lower alcohol intake, sperm concentration and sperm progressive motility were observed in the men with primary infertility when compared with the men with secondary infertility
Summary
A reduction in sperm concentration of approximately one-half was reported in a meta-analysis of Asian men over the past 35 years, and low semen quality was associated with male subfertility (Sengupta et al, 2017). The etiology of male infertility involves both intrinsic (such as genetic and congenital disorders) and extrinsic factors (such as lifestyle and environmental factors) (Wang et al, 2018). In recent years, both patients and infertility specialists have increased the attention focused on male infertility through modifiable lifestyle behaviors. Several articles have reported that semen quality in men with primary or secondary infertility could be influenced by lifestyle factors, including dietary patterns, physical activity levels, occupational characteristics, smoking, and alcohol consumption (Jensen et al, 2014; Boeri et al, 2019). It is important to analyze the impact of different lifestyles on semen quality in men with primary and men with secondary infertility
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