780 Available online at www.medicinescince.org ORIGINAL RESEARCH Medicine Science 2016;5(3):780-4 The impact of obesity on semen parameters and hormone levels in infertile men Erkan Ozdemir 1 , Aytekin Tokmak 2 , Ahmet Deniz Tuzluoglu 1 , Sezen Bozkurt Koseoglu 3 , Mehmet Cinar 2 , Ayse Sahin 2 , Nafiye Yilmaz 2 1 Department of Urology, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women’s Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey 2 Division of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women’s Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women’s Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey Received 08 February 2016; Accepted 17 February 2016 Available online 21 March 2016 with doi: 10.5455/medscience.2016.05.8436 Abstract Previous studies in overweight men have shown an increased likelihood of abnormal semen parameters. Obesity has been found to be associated with male subfertility. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of obesity on semen parameters and hormone levels in infertile males. This was a prospective cross- sectional study designed to assess the influence of obesity on semen parameters and hormone levels in infertile men. 88 obese [Body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2] men and 169 non-obese (BMI<30 kg/m2) men were eligible for the study. All semen samples were obtained by masturbation after 3 days of sexual abstinence. After liquefaction at room temperature, semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, and normal morphology were determined according to World Health Organization (WHO, 2010) guidelines for semen analysis. Serum hormone levels were measured on the same-day with semen analysis. Semen volume was significantly lower in the obese group than in the non-obese group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in term of other semen parameters. Mean serum total testosterone (TT) level and TT/estradiol (E2) ratio were significantly higher in the non-obese group, whereas mean E2 level was significantly higher in the obese group. There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and E2 levels in the obese group. A significant inverse correlation was observed between BMI and TT levels in the non-obese group. Obesity may reduce semen volume in infertile males. This effect may be due to the changes in sex hormone levels. However, it has no impact on more meaningful indicators of male fertility such as sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. Keywords: Body mass index, male infertility, obesity, sperm parameters, testosteron/estradiol ratio Introduction Obesity is now a major public health problem facing the world. The worldwide prevalence of obesity is steadily increasing, and it is estimated that approximately 400 million people were obese in 2005 [1]. Millions of people die each year due to diseases associated with obesity. Nonetheless, obesity has adverse effects on reproductive functions in both women and men. It is clearly known that obesity affects fertility adversely in women of reproductive age by causing insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction [2]. Although it impairs the reproductive function in a similar manner in obese men, its effects on sperm parameters are contradictory [3-7]. Obesity reduces serum levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and testosterone (T), and increases serum estradiol (E2) levels in men, but the effects of those changes on fertility is not known clearly [8]. In addition, obesity was found to be associated with erectile dysfunction [9]. In this study, we aimed to investigate semen parameters of infertile obese men and also to evaluate the relation between body mass index (BMI) and sex hormone levels. Materials and Methods The current study was conducted in the Zekai Tahir Burak Women’s Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara between January 2014 and June 2015. This hospital is a tertiary level referral hospital for infertile couples in the middle of Turkey. The study protocol was performed accordingly to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, after receiving approval of the institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained from the each participant. A total of 257 infertile men aged between 22 and 42 were included in the present study. All participants initially *Corresponding Author: Aytekin Tokmak, Division of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women’s Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: aytekintokmak@gmail.com Medicine Science International Medical Journal