title: The combination matters--distinct impact of lifestyle factors on sperm quality: a study on semen analysis of 1683 patients according to MSOME criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor sperm quality can negatively affect embryonic development and IVF outcome. This study is aimed at investigating the influence of various lifestyle factors on semen quality according to MSOME (motile sperm organelle morphology examination) criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  1683 male patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in our clinic were surveyed about their age, BMI (body mass index), ejaculation frequency, nutrition, sports, sleeping habits and social behavior. Semen samples were collected and evaluation of semen parameters according to MSOME and WHO criteria was performed. Results were grouped and statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although single parameters had minor effects on sperm parameter, the combination of age, BMI, coffee intake, ejaculatory frequency and duration of sexual abstinence were identified as factors having a negative effect on sperm motility. Additionally, we could demonstrate that MSOME quality was reduced. The negative impact of age, BMI and coffee intake on sperm quality could be compensated if patients had a high ejaculation frequency and shorter periods of sexual abstinence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combinations of adverse lifestyle factors could have a detrimental impact on sperm, not only in terms of motility and sperm count but also in terms of sperm head vacuolization. This negative impact was shown to be compensated by higher ejaculation frequency and a shorter period of sexual abstinence. The compensation is most likely due to a shorter storage time in the male gonads, thus reducing the duration of sperms' exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS).
authors.affiliation: IVF Centers Prof Zech-Bregenz, Roemerstrasse 2, Bregenz 6900, Austria. j.wogatzky@ivf.at
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wogatzky
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wirleitner
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stecher
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanderzwalmen
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neyer
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuff
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schechinger
authors.forename: Nicolas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Zech
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003069:Coffee; D004542:Ejaculation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012890:Sleep; D012919:Social Behavior; D013076:Sperm Count; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee