Combined effects of obesity, alcohol and smoking habit on semen quality of 2483 men attending an andrology clinic

Abstract

Several factors have been identified as detrimental for sperm physiology (i.e. tobacco, alcohol, obesity, endocrine disruptors, etc); however, none of them can justify seminal decline by itself. Therefore, the objective of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the combined effects of obesity and tobacco/alcohol consumption on semen quality of men who attended an andrology laboratory in Argentine. Patients (n=2483) were not azoospermic and had no history of toxin exposure (pesticides, radiations, etc) genitourinary diseases or surgeries. Data were analyzed by MANCOVA test, age and abstinence were used as co-variables, and body mass index (normal, overweight or obese), tobacco ( no smoker or smoker) and/or alcohol consumption (non-drinker, moderate drinker -1 glass/day- and heavy drinker -2 to 5 glasses/day-) were used as factors.