YOGYAKARTA – Stress is often associated with decreased levels of health. Due to continuous stress, a person can experience problems with the heart, breathing, obesity, and depression. A study investigated the effects of stress on male fertility, which affects sperm quality.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York. The research was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, reported by Medical News Today, Monday, July 11. The team investigated how much stress affects sperm and semen quality.
The researchers involved 193 men aged 38-49 years between 2005 and 2008. All of the men involved were part of the Environmental and Reproductive Study at the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan in Oakland, California.
The study reported that men who experienced two or more stressful events in the past year had lower sperm quality than men who did not experience stressful life events. As part of the study, male participants were asked to complete a series of tests that measured stress levels, including those from work, stressful life events, and overall perceived stress.
Semen samples were also tested using standard fertility testing methods based on semen concentration and shape or morphology and motility or movement of sperm. The researchers reported that men who had experienced a stressful life in the past year had lower rates of motility and morphology. Despite the influence of a history of reproductive health and other health problems, stress has a major effect on semen quality.
More specifically, men who experience job stress have lower levels of the hormone testosterone in their semen. It also affects reproductive health. In addition, they found that unemployed men also experienced lower semen quality than those who were employed.
Stress, according to the theory presented by researchers, can activate the release of glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that affect carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism so that they can reduce testosterone levels and sperm production.
In addition, oxidative stress or physiological stress caused by free radicals is also related to the quality and fertility of semen.
“Stress has long been identified as having an effect on health. Our research shows that men's reproductive health can also be affected by their social environment," said lead researcher Teresa Jenevic, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Rutgerss School of Public Health.
This study, the researchers note, is the first to use both subjective and objective measures of stress. As a result, they found there was a significant relationship between decreased semen quality and stress.
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