title: Diminished paternity and gonadal function with increasing obesity in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship of male obesity and reproductive function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven adult men, body mass index (BMI) range from 16.1 to 47.0 kg/m(2) (mean = 29.3 kg/m(2); SD = 6.5 kg/m(2)).
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive history, physical examination, inhibin B, FSH, LH, T, and unbound T levels, and semen analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body mass index was negatively correlated with testosterone (r = -0.38), FSH (r = -0.22), and inhibin B levels (r = -0.21) and was positively correlated with E(2) levels (r = 0.34). Testosterone also negatively correlated with skinfold thickness (r = -0.30). There was no correlation of BMI or skinfold thickness with semen analysis parameters (sperm density, volume, motility, or morphology). Inhibin B level correlated significantly with sperm motility (r = 0.23). Men with paternity had lower BMIs (28.0 kg/m(2) vs. 31.6 kg/m(2)) and lower skinfold thickness (24.7 mm vs. 34.1 mm) than men without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity is an infertility factor in otherwise normal men. Obese men demonstrate a relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Reduced inhibin B levels and diminished paternity suggest compromised reproductive capacity in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. epauli@hmc.psu.edu
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pauli
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Legro
authors.forename: Laurence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Demers
authors.forename: Allen R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kunselman
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010808:Physical Examination; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C422364:inhibin B; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone