News May 2007

Diabetes May Elevate Male Infertility Graph

Contemplating the findings revealed by the recent study conducted on diabetic men, scientists have expressed great concern over the towering levels of diabetes. According to the study, men having higher levels of diabetes are more prone to infertility and are found with spoiled sperm cells.

The warning is based on the tests wherein diabetic men are found with nearly 60% increase in split DNA in their sperms when compared with the healthy men. The revelation suggests that there would be significant elevation in male infertility in near future. It is also suggested that problems pertaining to male fertilility might turn more extensive with the raise in the rate of diabetes and obesity in a conjunction.

A research team escorted by Sheena Lewis, scientific director of the reproductive medicine research group at Queen's University, Belfast, analyzed the sperm samples of 56 men who were in their mid-30s, and out of which 27 have diabetes. It has been noticed that in diabetic men, DNA of 52 percent sperm cells was in the fragmented form but in healthy men, it was only in 32% sperm cells,. Besides, some genetic damage was also found in the tiny energy-making mitochondria in their sperms.

“These findings are cause of concern as diabetic men may experience implications in the fertility," said Ishola Agbaje, a co-author of the study, which published in the journal Human Reproduction. As sperm disorders are believed to cause infertility in nearly 40% to 50% men, the mounting rate of systemic disease like diabetes may further aggravate the rate of male fertility.