Obesity is in itself is a huge disorder which is faced by millions around the globe. This is because it acts as a store house for various other diseases. From cardiovascular disorders and kidney failures to erectile dysfunction, almost all chronic and fatal diseases are linked to obesity. Latest studies show that there is a direct link to obesity and decreased sperm count in men.

Study

Studies conducted on a few subjects have shown that obese men have a lower sperm count those men who are not overweight. It also showed that not only was the sperm count affected but also the sperms were underdeveloped and weak which affected their motility. Due to this, they could not swim fast enough to fertilize the ovum.

But the topic is highly debatable among researchers as there seems to be a relationship between older men who have a lower sperm count and they also appear to be heavier than younger men as these older men also suffered from decreased metabolism. Due to this, scientists are not able to figure out if the decreased sperm count is directly related to obesity.

To get a clearer picture, researchers conducted a study to compare the difference in the sperm count of obese and thin men between the ages of 20 to 30 and realized that the obese men had a lower sperm count than thin men, though they did not have enough scientific evidence to support this study.

These researchers also observed that even if the sperm count in the obese men was low, it did not render them all infertile. Unless the sperm motility was zero, or there was a drastic decline in the number of sperm count, most of the men were able to reproduce and have children. This was attributed to the fact that despite the low sperm count, most of the men had sperm count which was within the normal count i.e. 20 to 150 million/ ml of semen.

Researchers also commented that though the fertility was not affected, it offered the younger men to have another good reason to loose weight and stay fit.

The cause for low sperm count in obese men are-

• Body temperature: Anatomically both the testicles in men protrude out from the body. This helps to maintain them in a cooler temperature; such that their temperature is generally a degree less that the body temperature. In fat men, the testis is squeezed in between the hanging abdomen and fat thighs, thus they also have the same temperature as the body. Since the temperature is higher, it affects the productivity of the sperm and the sperm count is lower than normal.
• Hormonal imbalance: Obese men have low levels of testosterones. This is the male sex hormone that is directly involved with the production of the sperms. Due to the low level of testosterones, the sperm count decreases.
• Survival of the sperm: Studies have shown that increased amount of body fat affects the collection of proteins in the body. Proteins are important for the survival of sperms.

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