Why is it so important to analyse the sperm quality of ageing men?
It is important because even though men continue being fertile for a large part of their lives, the sperm quality drops as they get older. Ageing affects fertility and the health of descendants. Besides, it is crucial to comprehend the changes in a society where paternity is delayed for longer in order to be able to offer medical advice and prevent complications on time.
What biological and environmental factors tend to impact the sperm quality of an ageing male?
Factors like oxidative stress, hormonal alterations, chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes), exposure to environmental toxins and contaminants, smoking, alcoholism and sedentary lifestyle harm fertility. In addition, the accumulation of genetic mutations of spermatozoa is more common among older men.
How are sperm concentration, motility and morphology affected by ageing?
Motility and morphology are affected the most. Motility decreases due to a lower energy of the spermatozoa and suffers from greater mitochondrial damage. Morphology worsens because the cell formation process becomes less efficient. Concentration may be less affected, but the volume of ejaculate diminishes.
What is the role of genetic alterations and oxidative stress in sperm quality?
Oxidative stress generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that harm sperm DNA, proteins and cellular membranes. Moreover, genetic alterations increase because the mechanisms that repair the DNA in germ cells lose their efficiency over time. This leads to a higher probability of mutations in spermatozoa.
What recent improvements in reproductive medicine are helping older males to conceive more successfully?
Techniques such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) permit the selection of better-quality sperm for fertilisation.
The analysis of sperm DNA fragmentation enables evaluation of sperm viability.
Supplements with antioxidants and personalised therapies show positive results.
How effective are fertility treatments in cases where sperm quality is deteriorated due to age?
Fertility treatments like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and ICSI can be very effective, particularly when combined with genetic analyses to select viable embryos. In spite of this, the effectiveness can vary depending on the level of damage to the sperm and the general health state of the male.
Daniel García
Embriólogo