PS-B11-11: IMPLICATIONS OF OBESITY ON MALE FERTILITY HORMONES

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of obesity is alarming, with prevalence reported from 24 to 36% in developed worlds and a global estimate of adult obesity at over 11%. The relationship between obesity and infertility in men has been emphasized in multiple studies. However, there is a paucity of studies on the disparity between obese and overweight men fertility profiles. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the sex hormones distribution in overweight and obese men. Method: A retrospective case-control study on reproductive hormones in obese and overweight participants was conducted on 789 NHANES 2015–2016 survey data. Of the 789 participants, 229 were control, 270 were overweight, and 290 were obese between 18–80 years of age. We compared the mean plasma level of testosterone, estradiol, and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) among the groups using one-way ANOVA and mean differences using Tamhane post hoc tests. Results: There was a significant increase in the mean testosterone, and SHBG levels in the control group compared with overweight and obese subjects. However, a significant increase in mean estradiol was observed in the obese compared with overweight and control groups. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in the estradiol level between the control and overweight groups. There was a significant increase in BMI in the obese group compared with overweight, and control groups. Conclusion: Obesity has negative feedback effects on testosterone and SHBG production. However, an unknown mechanism contributes to the lower estradiol level in overweight relative to obese men. Therefore, there is a need to research the molecular basis of fertility hormone metabolism in obese and overweight men.