When testosterone intake, meat consumption and stress reduce fertility
Study results summarized:
- Testosterone supplements: Significantly worsen semen quality and impair hormonal and sexual health.
- Nutrition: A vegetarian diet significantly improves sperm quality, while eating too much meat can have negative effects.
- Lifestyle: Chronic stress, smoking, alcohol and extreme sports are detrimental to fertility, while moderate exercise has positive effects.
- Heat exposure and tight pants: The myth that sauna visits, heated seats or tight jeans are harmful has been disproved - they have no demonstrable effect on sperm quality.
Our new study at the Kinderwunschzentrum an der Wien reveals how the use of testosterone supplements and a high meat consumption, among other things, can drastically worsen sperm quality. The study is based on 237 spermiograms carried out at our Andro Center. The Andro Center is one of our competence centers and focuses specifically on male fertility: because in around 2/3 of all couples, pregnancy does not occur due to reduced sperm quality. Between January and October 2024, the spermiograms and associated questionnaires were analyzed, providing valuable insights for men who want to consciously shape their family planning. In terms of their age, the men examined are representative of the group of men in Austria who wish to have children. The results are a clear wake-up call that a healthy lifestyle is crucial for male fertility.
Testosterone intake: An underestimated risk
The figures speak for themselves: 100% of men who took testosterone supplements - often to improve athletic performance - showed a drastic deterioration in semen quality. Taking these supplements unbalances the hormonal system, impairs testicular function and has a negative effect on sexual performance. A representative international study confirms these effects and shows that these effects only subside after about a year1.
“Many men have no idea that they are jeopardizing their own fertility with artificial testosterone. If you really want to become a father, you should think carefully about whether you are risking your chances of having a child for more muscle”
warns Prof. Strohmer.
According to study, vegetarians have better sperm quality
Diet also has a direct influence on semen quality. An unhealthy and unbalanced diet has a negative effect on semen quality (60.9% conspicuous). High meat consumption, especially red meat, significantly worsens sperm quality, while vegetarians and vegans achieved significantly better values in the study: Only 33.3% of them had abnormal findings. Experts recommend a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, wholegrain products and healthy fats such as olive oil. Walnuts and meditation also appear to have positive effects. The age of the man also comes into focus, as it can have an impact on the child's later health. Studies show that the ejaculate of 45-year-old men is less mobile than that of men under 35. We therefore recommend trying to conceive at a younger age if possible.
No tight underwear if you want to have children? Study disproves the warmth myth
There is widespread concern that visits to the sauna, heated seats or tight jeans affect male fertility. However, a recent study gives the all-clear: short-term exposure to heat has no significant effect on sperm quality. Even tight clothing does not pose a proven risk.
“Men who want to have children should feel comfortable in their clothes. Whether boxer shorts or tight jeans - there is no clear evidence that tight-fitting materials impair sperm quality. It is much more important not to smoke, to maintain a normal body weight, to do sufficient sport and physical exercise and to refrain from taking anabolic steroids or hormone supplements in the fitness area,” explains Strohmer.
Extreme sports have a negative impact on fertility
Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and chronic stress worsen sperm quality. Regular sport, on the other hand, showed positive effects - but only in moderation: Excessive sport can also have a negative impact on fertility1. The study results illustrate how important a conscious lifestyle is for maintaining fertility. Men who use testosterone supplements, do not question their diet or put a strain on their health through stress and substance abuse are putting their family planning at risk in the long term.
“Our results are a wake-up call,” emphasizes Prof. Strohmer and continues: ”The supposedly healthy lifestyle of many men, from weight training with supplements to an excessively protein-rich diet with meat, can seriously jeopardize their family planning.”
Would you also like to test your sperm quality?
Regardless of whether you do not currently wish to have children and would just like to check your sperm quality out of interest or are already planning a pregnancy - contact our first contact team and arrange your desired appointment for a spermiogram at the Kinderwunschzentrum an der Wien!
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Sources:
1) Sansone A, Sansone M, Vaamonde D, Sgrò P, Salzano C, Romanelli F, Lenzi A, Di Luigi L. Sport, doping and male fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018 Nov 12;16(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s12958-018-0435-x. PMID: 30415644; PMCID: PMC6231265.