Dataset Information

Meat intake in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormone levels among young men in Spain.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to assess the associations of intake of different types of meat with semen parameters and reproductive hormones in healthy young men. This cross-sectional study included 206 men, 18-23 years, from Southern Spain. All men completed a validated FFQ, underwent a physical examination, and provided blood and semen samples. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between meat intake with semen quality parameters and reproductive hormones. Total meat intake was unrelated to semen quality or reproductive hormone levels. When subgroups of meat were separately considered, however, shellfish intake was positively related to progressive motility. The adjusted percentages of progressively motile spermatozoa for men in increasing quartiles of shellfish intake were 45·2, 42·0, 49·4 and 53·2 % with a significant linear trend across quartiles (P trend?0·001). In contrast, men who consumed organ meats had significantly lower progressive sperm motility (51·5 v. 42·8 %; P = 0·001) and higher luteinising hormone levels (4·0 v. 4·6 IU/l; P = 0·03) compared with men who did not consume organ meats. Intake of shellfish and organ meats was low in this population, however. Given the scarcity of data on the relation between specific types of meat with semen quality and reproductive hormone levels, additional research is needed to confirm or refute these findings.

SUBMITTER: Maldonado-Carceles AB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6375748 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Meat intake in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormone levels among young men in Spain.

Maldonado-Cárceles Ana B AB Mínguez-Alarcón Lidia L Mendiola Jaime J Vioque Jesús J Jørgensen Niels N Árense-Gonzalo Julián J JJ Torres-Cantero Alberto M AM Chavarro Jorge E JE

The British journal of nutrition 20190201 4

The aim of this study was to assess the associations of intake of different types of meat with semen parameters and reproductive hormones in healthy young men. This cross-sectional study included 206 men, 18-23 years, from Southern Spain. All men completed a validated FFQ, underwent a physical examination, and provided blood and semen samples. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between meat intake with semen quality parameters and reproductive hormones. Total m ...[more]

PMID: 30560757

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Project description:Study questionIs consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) associated with semen quality?Summary answerHigher consumption of SSB was associated with lower sperm motility among healthy, young men.What is known alreadyThe existing literature on the potential role of SSBs on male reproductive function is scarce and primarily focused on the relation between caffeinated beverages and semen quality. However, a rodent model suggests that SSBs may hamper male fertility.Study design, size, durationThe Rochester Young Men's Study; a cross-sectional study of 189 healthy young men carried out at the University of Rochester during 2009-2010.Participants/materials, setting, methodsMen aged 18-22 years provided semen and blood samples, underwent a physical examination and completed a previously validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Linear regression was used to analyze the association of SSBs with sperm parameters and reproductive hormone levels while adjusting for potential confounders.Main results and the role of chanceSSB intake was inversely related to progressive sperm motility. Men in the highest quartile of SSB intake (?1.3 serving/day) had 9.8 (95% CI: 1.9,17.8) percentage units lower progressive sperm motility than men in the lowest quartile of intake (<0.2 serving/day) (P, trend = 0.03). This association was stronger among lean men (P, trend = 0.005) but absent among overweight or obese men (P, trend = 0.98). SSB intake was unrelated to other semen quality parameters or reproductive hormones levels.Limitations, reasons for cautionAs in all cross-sectional studies, causal inference is limited. An additional problem is that only single semen sample was obtained from each subject.Wider implications of the findingsTo our knowledge, this is the first report on the relation between SSB intake and low semen quality beyond the contribution of caffeinated beverages. While our findings are in agreement with recent experimental data in rodents, more studies are required to draw conclusions on the relation of SSB with semen quality or male infertility.Study funding/competing interest(s)Supported by the European Union Seventh Framework Program (Environment), 'Developmental Effects of Environment on Reproductive Health' (DEER) grant 212844. Grant P30 DK046200 and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 DK007703-16 and T32HD060454 from the National Institutes of Health. None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare.

Project description:Study questionIs increased consumption of dairy foods associated with lower semen quality?Summary answerWe found that intake of full-fat dairy was inversely related to sperm motility and morphology. These associations were driven primarily by intake of cheese and were independent of overall dietary patterns.What is known alreadyIt has been suggested that environmental estrogens could be responsible for the putative secular decline in sperm counts. Dairy foods contain large amounts of estrogens. While some studies have suggested dairy as a possible contributing factor for decreased semen quality, this finding has not been consistent across studies.Study design, size, durationThe Rochester Young Men's Study (n = 189) was a cross-sectional study conducted between 2009 and 2010 at the University of Rochester.Participants/materials, setting, methodsMen aged 18-22 years were included in this analysis. Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation between dairy intake and conventional semen quality parameters (total sperm count, sperm concentration, progressive motility, morphology and ejaculate volume) adjusting for age, abstinence time, race, smoking status, body mass index, recruitment period, moderate-to-intense exercise, TV watching and total calorie intake.Main results and the role of chanceTotal dairy food intake was inversely related to sperm morphology (P-trend = 0.004). This association was mostly driven by intake of full-fat dairy foods. The adjusted difference (95% confidence interval) in normal sperm morphology percent was -3.2% (-4.5 to -1.8) between men in the upper half and those in the lower half of full-fat dairy intake (P < 0.0001), while the equivalent contrast for low-fat dairy intake was less pronounced [-1.3% (-2.7 to -0.07; P= 0.06)]. Full-fat dairy intake was also associated with significantly lower percent progressively motile sperm (P= 0.05).Limitations, reasons for cautionAs it was a cross-sectional study, causal inference is limited.Wider implications of the findingsFurther research is needed to prove a causal link between a high consumption of full-fat dairy foods and detrimental effects on semen quality. If verified our findings would mean that intake of full-fat dairy foods should be considered in attempts to explain secular trends in semen quality and that men trying to have children should restrict their intake.Study funding/competing interest(s)European Union Seventh Framework Program (Environment), 'Developmental Effects of Environment on Reproductive Health' (DEER) grant 212844. Grant P30 DK046200 and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 DK007703-16 from the National Institutes of Health. None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare.

Project description:BackgroundFew human studies have examined bisphenol A (BPA) exposure in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormones in men, and results are divergent.ObjectivesWe examined associations between urinary BPA concentration and reproductive hormones, as well as semen quality, in young men from the general population.MethodsOur study population consisted of 308 young men from the general population. Urinary BPA concentration was measured by isotope dilution TurboFlow-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We used multiple linear regression analysis to estimate associations between BPA concentration and reproductive hormones and semen quality, adjusting for confounding factors.ResultsWe found that 98% of the men had detectable urinary levels of BPA. Median (5th-95th percentiles) BPA concentration was 3.25 ng/mL (0.59-14.89 ng/mL). Men with BPA concentrations above the lowest quartile had higher concentrations of serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, and free testosterone compared with the lowest quartile (p trend ? 0.02). Men in the highest quartile of BPA excretion had on average 18% higher total testosterone (95% CI: 8, 28%), 22% higher LH (95% CI: 6, 39%), and 13% higher estradiol (95% CI: 4, 24%) compared with lowest quartile. Men in the highest quartile of BPA also had significantly lower percentage progressive motile spermatozoa compared with men in the lowest quartile (-6.7 percentage points, 95% CI: -11.76, -1.63). BPA was not associated with other semen parameters. Adjusting for dietary patterns did not influence the results.ConclusionsThe pattern of associations between BPA and reproductive hormones could indicate an antiandrogenic or antiestrogenic effect, or both, of BPA on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal hormone feedback system, possibly through a competitive inhibition at the receptor level. However, additional research is needed to confirm our findings and to further test the suggested potential mechanisms.

Project description:STUDY QUESTION:Is adherence to an a priori defined diet quality indices [Alternate Healthy Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED) or dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH)] associated with semen quality and reproductive hormone levels in young men? SUMMARY ANSWER:Greater adherence to the DASH diet is related to higher sperm counts. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY:Studies assessing the relationship between dietary intake and male reproductive function have mainly been focused on specific nutrients, food groups or data-driven dietary patterns, but the evidence on a priori defined dietary indices is still scarce. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION:Cross-sectional study of 209 male university students recruited from October 2010 to November 2011 in Murcia Region (Southern Spain). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS:Healthy young men aged 18-23 years were included in this study. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and three a priori-defined dietary indices (AHEI-2010, rMED and DASH) were calculated. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation between the three dietary indices and semen quality parameters and reproductive hormone levels accounting for potential confounders and covariates. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE:We found statistically significant positive associations between the DASH index and sperm concentration (P, trend?=?0.04), total sperm count (P, trend?=?0.04) and total motile sperm count (P, trend?=?0.02). No associations were observed for other semen parameters or male reproductive hormones. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION:Even though we adjusted for several known and suspected confounders we cannot exclude the possibility of residual or unmeasured confounding or chance findings. Subjects were blinded to the study outcomes thus reducing the potential influence on their report of diet. Our sample size may be too small to rule out associations with other semen parameters or reproductive hormones. Causal inference is limited, as usual with all observational studies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS:The results suggest that greater adherence to the DASH may help improve sperm counts. This study was carried out on young men from the general population. However, results may differ among other populations (e.g. infertile men). Therefore, further research is needed to confirm these findings and extend these results to other populations. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S):This work was supported by Fundación Séneca, grants No 08808/PI/08 and No 19443/PI/14; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (AES), grants No PI10/00985 and No PI13/01237; and grant P30DK046200 from the National Institutes of Health. Authors have no competing interests to declare.

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Dataset Information

Meat intake in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormone levels among young men in Spain.

Publications

Meat intake in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormone levels among young men in Spain.

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