title: Is overweight a risk factor for reduced semen quality and altered serum sex hormone profile?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether overweight and obesity are related to changes in serum sex hormone concentrations and semen quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from five previous population-based environmental studies of semen quality were combined into one database at a university hospital in Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 2,139 men provided data to the database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on semen and blood samples and information on lifestyle and reproductive factors, including body mass index (BMI), were collected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen quality (volume, concentration, total sperm count, and motility) and serum concentration of sex hormones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The T and inhibin B serum concentrations were 25%-32% lower in obese men in comparison with normal-weight men, whereas the E(2) concentration was 6% higher in obese men. Overweight men (BMI, 25.1-30.0 kg/m(2)) had a slightly lower adjusted sperm concentration and total sperm count than did men with a normal BMI (20.0-25.0 kg/m(2)), but no reduction in sperm count was observed among the obese men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results corroborate earlier findings that overweight and obese men have a markedly changed sex hormone profile in serum, whereas reduction of semen quality, if any, was marginal and below the detection limit of this large study.
authors: Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. ansag@as.aaa.dk
authors: Anette S
authors: AS
authors: Aggerholm
authors: Ane Marie
authors: AM
authors: Thulstrup
authors: Gunnar
authors: G
authors: Toft
authors: Cecilia H
authors: CH
authors: Ramlau-Hansen
authors: Jens Peter
authors: JP
authors: Bonde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones