[Dietary intake of trace elements and semen quality and reproductive hormone levels in young men: relationship with fertility]

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to study the associations between dietary intake of trace elements and semen quality and reproductive hormones levels in young men.

Material and method: This is a cross-sectional study in healthy male university students (n=209) recruited in Murcia Region (Spain) between 2010 and 2011. Dietary intake of trace elements (iron, iodine and cinc) was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Semen analysis (sperm concentration, motility and morphology) was carried out according to World Health Organization guidelines. Serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones and testosterone were also determined. Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-squared tests were used in bivariate analysis and multiple lineal regression was used to adjust for significant covariates.

Results: A statistically significant inverse association between dietary intake of iron and sperm concentration (P, trend=0.01) and the percentage of progressive motile sperm (P, trend=0.004) were observed. No other significant associations for the remaining sperm parameters or reproductive hormones were detected.

Conclusions: Our results show that high levels of iron may be associated with reduced sperm concentration and motility in young men. However, further studies are needed, particularly in other male populations consulting for infertility problems.

Keywords: Calidad seminal; Dietary intake; Hormonas reproductivas; Ingesta dietaria; Oligoelementos; Reproductive hormones; Semen quality; Trace elements.