title: Environmental/lifestyle effects on spermatogenesis.
abstract: The high incidence of low sperm counts in young (European) men and evidence for declining sperm counts in recent decades mean that the environmental/lifestyle impact on spermatogenesis is an important health issue. This review assesses potential causes involving adverse effects on testis development in perinatal life (primarily effects on Sertoli cell number), which are probably irreversible, or effects on the process of spermatogenesis in adulthood, which are probably mainly reversible. Several lifestyle-related (obesity, smoking) and environmental (exposure to traffic exhaust fumes, dioxins, combustion products) factors appear to negatively affect both the perinatal and adult testes, emphasizing the importance of environmental/lifestyle impacts throughout the life course. Apart from this, public concern about adverse effects of environmental chemicals (ECs) (pesticides, food additives, persistent pollutants such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls) on spermatogenesis in adult men are, in general, not supported by the available data for humans. Where adverse effects of ECs have been shown, they are usually in an occupational setting rather than applying to the general population. In contrast, a modern Western lifestyle (sedentary work/lifestyle, obesity) is potentially damaging to sperm production. Spermatogenesis in normal men is poorly organized and inefficient so that men are poorly placed to cope with environmental/lifestyle insults.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Centre for Reproductive Biology, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. r.sharpe@hrsu.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sharpe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
references.citation: Biol Reprod. 2009 May;80(5):913-9
references.pmid: 19144962
references.citation: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 May;90(5):3122-7
references.pmid: 15728198
references.citation: Int J Androl. 1993 Aug;16(4):272-8
references.pmid: 8262660
references.citation: Drug Alcohol Depend. 1981 Aug;8(1):1-22
references.pmid: 6271518
references.citation: Drug Intell Clin Pharm. 1984 Feb;18(2):122-32
references.pmid: 6141923
references.citation: Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Oct;24(10):1272-8
references.pmid: 11093288
references.citation: Lancet. 1977 Dec 17;2(8051):1259-61
references.pmid: 73955
references.citation: J Endocrinol. 1996 May;149(2):191-7
references.pmid: 8708529
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2007 Oct;22(10):2758-62
references.pmid: 17704100
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2004 Jan;145(1):318-29
references.pmid: 14551232
references.citation: J Toxicol Sci. 2000 May;25(2):85-93
references.pmid: 10845186
references.citation: Occup Med (Lond). 2001 May;51(3):174-88
references.pmid: 11385122
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 1989 Dec;52(6):1041-7
references.pmid: 2512180
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2008 Oct;149(10):5280-7
references.pmid: 18566125
references.citation: Reproduction. 2001 Apr;121(4):595-603
references.pmid: 11277880
references.citation: Lancet. 2004 Apr 17;363(9417):1264-9
references.pmid: 15094270
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2004 Feb;27(1):5-11
references.pmid: 14718040
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2003 May;14(3):269-77
references.pmid: 12859026
references.citation: Hum Reprod Update. 2006 May-Jun;12(3):303-23
references.pmid: 16540528
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2000 Oct;23(5):266-77
references.pmid: 11012784
references.citation: J Androl. 2006 Jul-Aug;27(4):560-4
references.pmid: 16582411
references.citation: Endocrinology. 1988 Mar;122(3):787-94
references.pmid: 3125042
references.citation: J Urol. 2002 Feb;167(2 Pt 1):624-9
references.pmid: 11792932
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2000 Oct;23(5):309-18
references.pmid: 11012789
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Jun;117(6):923-7
references.pmid: 19590684
references.citation: Theriogenology. 2004 Jul;62(1-2):165-78
references.pmid: 15159111
references.citation: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Feb;90(2):984-91
references.pmid: 15562018
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2003 Jun;18(6):1265-72
references.pmid: 12773457
references.citation: Mol Med. 2009 Jul-Aug;15(7-8):248-62
references.pmid: 19593409
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1979 May 3;300(18):1012-5
references.pmid: 431595
references.citation: Hum Reprod Update. 2001 Jan-Feb;7(1):78-84
references.pmid: 11212079
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2007 Jul;64(7):467-73
references.pmid: 17332140
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2001 May;16(5):972-8
references.pmid: 11331648
references.citation: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2009 Aug 1;238(3):240-9
references.pmid: 19236889
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 1999 Jul 15;150(2):157-63
references.pmid: 10412960
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2000 Oct;108(10):961-6
references.pmid: 11049816
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2004 Jan 1;159(1):49-58
references.pmid: 14693659
references.citation: J Androl. 2002 Nov-Dec;23(6):799-805
references.pmid: 12399525
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2008 Oct;65(10):708-14
references.pmid: 18417551
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Mar;114(3):360-5
references.pmid: 16507458
references.citation: J Reprod Fertil. 1998 Nov;114(2):179-94
references.pmid: 10070346
references.citation: J Reprod Dev. 2007 Dec;53(6):1191-7
references.pmid: 17827877
references.citation: Tissue Cell. 1996 Apr;28(2):137-48
references.pmid: 8650668
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2008 Mar;116(3):269-77
references.pmid: 18335090
references.citation: Environ Res. 2004 Sep;96(1):1-8
references.pmid: 15261778
references.citation: Int J Androl. 1996 Dec;19(6):323-37
references.pmid: 9051418
references.citation: Scand J Work Environ Health. 2000 Dec;26(6):492-500
references.pmid: 11201396
references.citation: Int J Androl. 1995 Aug;18(4):169-84
references.pmid: 7591190
references.citation: Biol Reprod. 2000 Jun;62(6):1685-93
references.pmid: 10819772
references.citation: Semin Reprod Med. 2006 Jul;24(3):156-67
references.pmid: 16804814
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 1998 Aug;13(8):2122-5
references.pmid: 9756281
references.citation: Environ Sci. 2004;11(1):33-45
references.pmid: 15746887
references.citation: Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2003;43:125-47
references.pmid: 12471174
references.citation: Andrologia. 1991 Mar-Apr;23(2):151-6
references.pmid: 1659250
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2004 Sep;19(9):2066-75
references.pmid: 15284211
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2008 Aug;23(8):1932-40
references.pmid: 18579513
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2003 May;14(3):278-86
references.pmid: 12859027
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Sep;111(12):1505-11
references.pmid: 12948891
references.citation: Reprod Biomed Online. 2007 Dec;15(6):633-42
references.pmid: 18062860
references.citation: Toxicol Sci. 2002 Apr;66(2):283-92
references.pmid: 11896295
references.citation: Gut. 1984 Oct;25(10):1078-84
references.pmid: 6148293
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 1999 Feb;56(2):139-44
references.pmid: 10448320
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2008 Apr;31(2):249-62
references.pmid: 18205796
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2008 Jan;116(1):70-7
references.pmid: 18197302
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2002 May;17(5):1367-78
references.pmid: 11980767
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2007 May;148(5):2027-36
references.pmid: 17289843
references.citation: Metabolism. 1995 Apr;44(4):513-9
references.pmid: 7723675
references.citation: Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2004 Jul;207(3):185-92
references.pmid: 15330386
references.citation: Int J Sports Med. 2004 May;25(4):257-63
references.pmid: 15162244
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2002 May-Jun;16(3):215-21
references.pmid: 12128094
references.citation: Toxicol Sci. 2008 Sep;105(1):153-65
references.pmid: 18411233
references.citation: Neurology. 2004 Jan 27;62(2):247-53
references.pmid: 14745062
references.citation: Crit Rev Toxicol. 1996 May;26(3):261-307
references.pmid: 8726164
references.citation: Environ Res. 1991 Aug;55(2):123-8
references.pmid: 1868815
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 1998 Apr;13 Suppl 1:33-44
references.pmid: 9663768
references.citation: Dev Biol. 2009 Feb 1;326(1):112-20
references.pmid: 19041858
references.citation: Toxicol Lett. 2005 Jan 15;155(1):51-8
references.pmid: 15585359
references.citation: Reproduction. 2008 Jul;136(1):73-84
references.pmid: 18390691
references.citation: Toxicol Ind Health. 2001 Feb;17(1):31-9
references.pmid: 12004923
references.citation: Curr Top Dev Biol. 2000;50:103-24
references.pmid: 10948452
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Sep;111(12):1478-84
references.pmid: 12948887
references.citation: J Adolesc Health Care. 1986 Jan;7(1):28-33
references.pmid: 2935515
references.citation: Chemosphere. 2007 Apr;67(7):1463-7
references.pmid: 17126879
references.citation: Int J Toxicol. 2008;27 Suppl 4:1-82
references.pmid: 19101832
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2000 Apr;23(2):85-94
references.pmid: 10762434
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 2008 Feb;89(2 Suppl):e73-9
references.pmid: 18308070
references.citation: J Clin Pharmacol. 2002 Nov;42(S1):90S-96S
references.pmid: 12412841
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 2008 Oct;90(4):897-904
references.pmid: 18929048
references.citation: J Androl. 2004 Mar-Apr;25(2):293-302
references.pmid: 14760016
references.citation: Int J Clin Pract. 2007 Feb;61(2):341-4
references.pmid: 17263722
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2005 Sep;20(9):2559-66
references.pmid: 15919771
references.citation: Int J Cancer. 2006 Jun 15;118(12):3099-111
references.pmid: 16395710
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2007 Jan;22(1):188-96
references.pmid: 16966350
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Mar;104(3):768-73
references.pmid: 19223893
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 1994 Jan;61(1):35-43
references.pmid: 8293842
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2006 Nov;22(4):765-73
references.pmid: 17008049
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2001 May;12(3):366-7
references.pmid: 11338320
references.citation: Crit Rev Toxicol. 2005 Jun;35(5):435-58
references.pmid: 16097138
references.citation: J Toxicol Sci. 2000 Oct;25 Spec No:259-66
references.pmid: 11349452
references.citation: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jul;92(7):2696-705
references.pmid: 17426100
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2002 Mar-Apr;16(2):141-50
references.pmid: 11955945
references.citation: J Clin Invest. 2008 Apr;118(4):1479-90
references.pmid: 18340380
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Jun 15;165(12):1372-9
references.pmid: 17369608
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 1997 Jan-Feb;11(1):29-36
references.pmid: 9138631
references.citation: Int J Androl. 1994 Aug;17(4):186-91
references.pmid: 7995654
references.citation: Hum Fertil (Camb). 2008 Sep;11(3):191-6
references.pmid: 18608524
references.citation: J Androl. 2007 May-Jun;28(3):423-34
references.pmid: 17192596
references.citation: J Androl. 2006 Sep-Oct;27(5):619-26
references.pmid: 16751621
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 2004 Oct;82(4):863-70
references.pmid: 15482761
references.citation: Mol Pharmacol. 2004 Sep;66(3):502-11
references.pmid: 15322241
references.citation: Toxicol Sci. 2000 Dec;58(2):377-85
references.pmid: 11099649
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2007 Dec;115 Suppl 1:21-7
references.pmid: 18174946
references.citation: Urol Clin North Am. 2002 Nov;29(4):965-73
references.pmid: 12516765
references.citation: Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2007 Aug-Sep;153(1-3):320-2
references.pmid: 17395184
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2000 Apr;141(4):1414-24
references.pmid: 10746645
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2008 Apr;31(2):74-80
references.pmid: 18194282
references.citation: Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today. 2009 Mar;87(1):1-26
references.pmid: 19306346
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2002 May-Jun;16(3):209-14
references.pmid: 12128093
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2005 Feb;20(2):452-5
references.pmid: 15591087
references.citation: J Androl. 2006 May-Jun;27(3):450-2
references.pmid: 16339454
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2008 Dec;23(12):2755-65
references.pmid: 18694875
references.citation: Nat Rev Genet. 2004 Jul;5(7):509-21
references.pmid: 15211353
references.citation: Arch Toxicol. 2003 Jun;77(6):335-43
references.pmid: 12799773
references.citation: Mol Hum Reprod. 2008 Jan;14(1):1-8
references.pmid: 18175790
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2007 Dec;115 Suppl 1:15-20
references.pmid: 18174945
references.citation: Food Chem Toxicol. 2002 Dec;40(12):1807-13
references.pmid: 12419695
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 2004 Aug;82(2):374-7
references.pmid: 15302286
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2006 Jul;17(4):450-8
references.pmid: 16755259
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 1988;2(3-4):155-61
references.pmid: 2980340
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2005 Jul;16(4):487-93
references.pmid: 15951666
references.citation: Br J Urol. 1981 Feb;53(1):50-4
references.pmid: 7470803
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2007 Jun;22(6):1497-502
references.pmid: 17392290
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1997 Feb;21(1):128-33
references.pmid: 9046385
references.citation: Reproduction. 2003 Jun;125(6):769-84
references.pmid: 12773099
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2006 Feb;29(1):205-10
references.pmid: 16466541
references.citation: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1995 Mar;131(1):108-18
references.pmid: 7878665
references.citation: Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Mar;20(1):91-110
references.pmid: 16522522
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2002 Nov-Dec;16(6):767-73
references.pmid: 12401504
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2002 Oct;25(5):262-8
references.pmid: 12270022
references.citation: Endocr Rev. 2002 Dec;23(6):735-62
references.pmid: 12466187
references.citation: Int J Androl. 2006 Feb;29(1):54-61; discussion 105-8
references.pmid: 16466524
references.citation: Environ Health. 2006 May 05;5:12
references.pmid: 16674832
references.citation: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Dec;34(12):1971-5
references.pmid: 12471304
references.citation: Reprod Toxicol. 2009 Apr;27(2):155-60
references.pmid: 19429394
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2005 Jan;20(1):208-15
references.pmid: 15567884
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 1996 Dec;30(6):750-8
references.pmid: 8914722
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2000 Jun;15(6):1355-7
references.pmid: 10831568
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 1990 Feb;53(2):315-22
references.pmid: 2298313
references.citation: Br Med Bull. 2000;56(3):630-42
references.pmid: 11255550
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2003 May;18(5):1055-61
references.pmid: 12721184
references.citation: Fertil Steril. 2005 Oct;84(4):919-24
references.pmid: 16213844