Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men
Objective Study associations between three measures of alcohol consumption (recent, typical/habitual, binging), semen quality and serum reproductive hormones.Design Cross-sectional population based study.Setting and participants 1221 young Danish men, aged 18–28 years were recruited when they attend...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2014-10-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/9/e005462.full |
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| author | Anders Juul Niels Jørgensen Niels E Skakkebæk Shanna H Swan Tina Kold Jensen Mads Gottschau Jens Otto Broby Madsen Anne-Maria Andersson Tina Harmer Lassen Lærke Priskorn |
| author_facet | Anders Juul Niels Jørgensen Niels E Skakkebæk Shanna H Swan Tina Kold Jensen Mads Gottschau Jens Otto Broby Madsen Anne-Maria Andersson Tina Harmer Lassen Lærke Priskorn |
| author_sort | Anders Juul |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Study associations between three measures of alcohol consumption (recent, typical/habitual, binging), semen quality and serum reproductive hormones.Design Cross-sectional population based study.Setting and participants 1221 young Danish men, aged 18–28 years were recruited when they attended a compulsory medical examination to determine their fitness for military service from 2008 to 2012. Total alcohol consumption: (1) in the week preceding (habitual/typical) the visit (recent alcohol intake), (2) in a typical week and (3) frequency of ‘binge drinking’ (consuming more than 5 units/day)) in the past 30 days was estimated.Main outcome measures Semen quality (volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and percentages of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa) and serum concentration of reproductive hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, oestradiol, free testosterone and inhibin B).Results Sperm concentration, total sperm count and percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology were negatively associated with increasing habitual alcohol intake. This association was observed in men reporting at least 5 units in a typical week but was most pronounced for men with a typical intake of more than 25 units/week. Men with a typical weekly intake above 40 units had a 33% (95% CI 11% to 59%) reduction in sperm concentration compared to men with an intake of 1–5 units/week. A significant increase in serum free testosterone with increasing alcohol consumption the week preceding the visit was found. Binging was not independently associated with semen quality.Conclusions Our study suggests that even modest habitual alcohol consumption of more than 5 units per week had adverse effects on semen quality although most pronounced associations were seen in men who consumed more than 25 units per week. Alcohol consumption was also linked to changes in testosterone and SHBG levels. Young men should be advised to avoid habitual alcohol intake. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0337b88690d64feb87f214fa7e87378d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-0337b88690d64feb87f214fa7e87378d2025-02-01T16:00:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552014-10-014910.1136/bmjopen-2014-005462Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish menAnders Juul0Niels Jørgensen1Niels E Skakkebæk2Shanna H Swan3Tina Kold Jensen4Mads Gottschau5Jens Otto Broby Madsen6Anne-Maria Andersson7Tina Harmer Lassen8Lærke Priskorn91 Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USADepartment of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkThe Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, DenmarkObjective Study associations between three measures of alcohol consumption (recent, typical/habitual, binging), semen quality and serum reproductive hormones.Design Cross-sectional population based study.Setting and participants 1221 young Danish men, aged 18–28 years were recruited when they attended a compulsory medical examination to determine their fitness for military service from 2008 to 2012. Total alcohol consumption: (1) in the week preceding (habitual/typical) the visit (recent alcohol intake), (2) in a typical week and (3) frequency of ‘binge drinking’ (consuming more than 5 units/day)) in the past 30 days was estimated.Main outcome measures Semen quality (volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and percentages of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa) and serum concentration of reproductive hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, oestradiol, free testosterone and inhibin B).Results Sperm concentration, total sperm count and percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology were negatively associated with increasing habitual alcohol intake. This association was observed in men reporting at least 5 units in a typical week but was most pronounced for men with a typical intake of more than 25 units/week. Men with a typical weekly intake above 40 units had a 33% (95% CI 11% to 59%) reduction in sperm concentration compared to men with an intake of 1–5 units/week. A significant increase in serum free testosterone with increasing alcohol consumption the week preceding the visit was found. Binging was not independently associated with semen quality.Conclusions Our study suggests that even modest habitual alcohol consumption of more than 5 units per week had adverse effects on semen quality although most pronounced associations were seen in men who consumed more than 25 units per week. Alcohol consumption was also linked to changes in testosterone and SHBG levels. Young men should be advised to avoid habitual alcohol intake.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/9/e005462.full |
| spellingShingle | Anders Juul Niels Jørgensen Niels E Skakkebæk Shanna H Swan Tina Kold Jensen Mads Gottschau Jens Otto Broby Madsen Anne-Maria Andersson Tina Harmer Lassen Lærke Priskorn Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men BMJ Open |
| title | Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men |
| title_full | Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men |
| title_fullStr | Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men |
| title_short | Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men |
| title_sort | habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones a cross sectional study among 1221 young danish men |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/9/e005462.full |
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