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Good semen quality and life expectancy: a cohort study of 43,277 men

Tina Kold Jensen1, Rune Jacobsen, Kaare Christensen

  • 1Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewsparken 17, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. tkjensen@health.sdu.dk

American Journal of Epidemiology
|July 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Semen quality may predict male mortality. Higher sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and semen volume are linked to decreased mortality from various diseases, suggesting semen quality is a key health biomarker.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Biomarkers

Background:

  • Fertility status is a potential predictor of mortality.
  • No prior studies have investigated the association between semen quality and subsequent mortality risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between semen quality parameters and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in men.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 43,277 men without azospermia, referred for infertility from 1963-2001, was linked to Danish national registers.
  • Follow-up until December 31, 2001, to record mortality events and compare with age-standardized Danish men.
  • Mortality rates were analyzed based on semen characteristics: sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and semen volume.

Main Results:

  • Mortality decreased with increasing sperm concentration up to 40 million/mL.
  • Decreased mortality was observed with higher percentages of motile and morphologically normal sperm and increased semen volume (dose-response relationship).
  • Reduced mortality was associated with good semen quality across a broad spectrum of diseases, irrespective of fatherhood, and was not solely explained by lifestyle factors.

Conclusions:

  • Semen quality is a significant biomarker for overall male health.
  • Good semen quality is associated with reduced all-cause and disease-specific mortality.
  • These findings highlight the potential of semen analysis in assessing male health beyond reproductive function.

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