Infertility as a Proxy of Men's Health: Still a Long Way to Go

Male infertility (MI) has been widely associated with the development of certain comorbidities and to a lower overall general health status. Higher risks of developing oncological, autoimmune, and chronic disorders among infertile individuals have led researchers to further investigate this issue. Recent clinical studies have been focusing more onto the concept of general health status and mortality. Overall, it has been postulated and subsequently demonstrated that the coexistence of specific diseases and semen alterations may lead to a decreased lifespan. As in Western countries, fatherhood is increasingly delayed in time, and aging might play an important role as a confounding factor for the after-mentioned statements. Although this holds true, even after adjusting for age, it emerges a worrisome picture regarding MI, lower general health status, and increased mortality. The aim of this nonsystematic narrative review is to provide an overview of the most relevant and recent findings on the topic.