Early or late puberty would have a significant impact on men’s reproductive health, according to a Danish study.
Precocious or late puberty in boys is strongly associated with poorer sperm quality in adulthood. This is the finding of a study conducted by the University of Copenhagen, which for the first time examines the impact that early or late puberty can have on male reproductive health.
For the purposes of the study, 1,068 healthy 19-year-old men provided information on the onset of puberty, as well as a sample of their semen and blood.
Smaller testicles
To help them date the onset of puberty, the researchers asked them to specify whether their testicular and penile growth, voice shedding, and hair growth occurred before, after, or at the same time. than their comrades at the time.
As for the quality of their sperm, it was evaluated through several markers (volume of seminal fluid collected, concentration and number of spermatozoa, percentage of motile spermatozoa [mobiles, qui bougent] and morphologically normal). In addition, the researchers measured the concentrations of sex hormones (LH, FSH, testosterone, SHBG, inhibin-B) in their blood, as well as the size of the testes of the subjects.
As a result, men who reported having had early or late puberty experienced poorer sperm quality and smaller testes by the age of 19, compared to others.
No more STIs
On the other hand, those who experienced precocious puberty tended to be shorter than others and to have a higher BMI (Body Mass Index). These were also smokers more often, or had been more exposed to smoking in the prenatal period. Finally, they reported more STIs (sexually transmitted infections) compared to others.
These results thus suggest that the age of puberty could play a fundamental role in the reproductive health of men, conclude the authors, who call for further investigation on the question.
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