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Stress and everyday life factors damage sperm DNA (2016-06-15)

Although semen analysis usually looks at the numbers and the condition of whole sperm, the authors of a small Polish study believe the degree fragmentation in DNA strands in the sperm might be a better indicator of fertility. DNA carries the cell's genetic information and hereditary characteristics and men with fragmentation have lower odds of conceiving naturally and through procedures like in vitro fertilization.

The aim of Dr. Marian Radwan of Gameta Hospital in Rzgow, Poland was to determine whether stress and everyday life factors are associated with sperm DNA damage in adult men.

The study population consisted of 286 men under age 45 who attended the infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration or with slight oligozoospermia.
Most of the men were overweight, nonsmokers, and with moderate levels of work stress and life stress. Half had been using a cell phone for 6 to 10 years.

Participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. The sperm chromatin structure assay was assessed using flow cytometry.

In the present study, researchers found evidence for a relationship between sperm DNA damage parameters and everyday life factors. High and medium level of occupational stress and age increase DNA fragmentation index.

Other lifestyle factors that were positively associated with percentage of immature sperms (high DNA stainability index) included: obesity and cell phone use for more than 10 years.

Coffee or alcohol use, smoking and physical activity levels were not linked to DNA fragmentation, the researchers report.

Data from the present study showed a significant effect of age, obesity, mobile phone radiation and occupational stress on sperm DNA damage. The men all had normal semen concentrations, but older men and those with higher work stress had more fragmentation of the DNA in their sperm.

There is some evidence that DNA damage, beyond affecting a man's fertility, may be passed along to offspring, raising their risk of gene mutations linked to various illnesses.

As DNA fragmentation represents an extremely important parameter indicative of infertility and potential outcome of assisted reproduction treatment, and most of the lifestyle factors are easily modifiable, the information about factors that may affect DNA damage are important.

For more information
Nature- International Journal of Impotence Research
Sperm DNA damage—the effect of stress and everyday life factors
M Radwan, J Jurewicz, D Merecz-Kot, W Sobala, P Radwan, M Bochenek and W Hanke.
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