title: The effects of smoking and alcohol intake on sperm quality: light and transmission electron microscopy findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking on sperm quality using transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples were collected from 62 healthy men. The subjects were classified according to alcohol consumption and  smoking status. Semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization criteria. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine sperm ultrastructure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heavy smoking (> 20 cigarettes/day) was associated with a decreased sperm count. Moderate/high alcohol consumption  (≥ 15.4 g/day) was associated with an increase in morphologically abnormal sperm. Transmission electron microscopy revealed no effect of smoking on sperm ultrastructure. Alcohol consumption resulted in significant increases in morphologically abnormal nuclei and plasma membranes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heavy smoking was associated with decreased sperm counts and alcohol consumption was associated with increased numbers of morphologically abnormal sperm.
authors: Department of Urology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: Joo
authors: Y W
authors: YW
authors: Kwon
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Myung
authors: T H
authors: TH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*