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Valle-Hita C, Salas-Huetos A, Fernández de la Puente M, Martínez MÁ, Canudas S, Palau-Galindo A, Mestres C, Manzanares JM, Murphy MM, Marquès M, Salas-Salvadó J, Babio N. Ultra-processed food consumption and semen quality parameters in the Led-Fertyl study. Hum Reprod Open 2024; 2024:hoae001. [PMID: 38283622 PMCID: PMC10813743 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption associated with semen quality parameters? SUMMARY ANSWER Higher UPF consumption was inversely associated with total sperm count, sperm concentration, and total motility in men of reproductive age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The consumption of UPF, which has been rising during the last decades, has been demonstrated to be positively associated with several chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. However, the scientific evidence on its potential impact on semen quality remains notably limited. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 200 healthy men (mean age 28.4 ± 5.5 years) enrolled in the Led-Fertyl (Lifestyle and Environmental Determinants of Seminogram and Other Male Fertility-Related Parameters) study between February 2021 and April 2023. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS UPF consumption (% of energy from UPF) was estimated according to the NOVA classification system using a validated 143-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Total sperm count, sperm concentration, sperm vitality, total motility, progressive motility, and normal sperm forms were set as the main outcomes. Microscopic parameters were analyzed using a phase-contrast microscope and a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. Semen samples were collected and tested according to World Health Organization 2010 standards. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to estimate the associations between UPF tertile and semen quality parameters. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Sperm concentration (β: -1.42 × 106 spz./ml; 95% CI: -2.72 to -0.12) and motility (β: -7.83%; 95% CI: -15.16 to -0.51) were lower in participants in the highest tertile of UPF compared to the lowest. A similar association was observed for sperm count when UPF was analyzed per 10% increment of energy from UPF consumption (β: -1.50 × 106 spz.; 95% CI: -2.83 to -0.17). Theoretically replacing 10% of energy from UPF consumption with 10% of energy from unprocessed or minimally processed food consumption was associated with a higher total sperm count, sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, and normal sperm forms. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION Cross-sectional studies do not permit the drawing of causal inferences. Measurement errors and reporting bias cannot be entirely ruled out. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This work suggests that consumption of UPF may have an impact on certain semen quality parameters. Furthermore, opting for unprocessed or minimally processed foods instead of UPFs could potentially benefit semen quality. If these results are replicated in future epidemiological studies with different long-term designs, these novel findings could provide valuable insights for updating or even designing preventive and interventional programs to address infertility among men of reproductive age. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by the Spanish government's official funding agency for biomedical research, ISCIII, through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), the European Union ERDF/ESF, 'A way to make Europe'/'Investing in your future' [PI21/01447], and the Diputació de Tarragona (2021/11-No.Exp. 8004330008-2021-0022642). J.S.-S. gratefully acknowledges the financial support of ICREA under the ICREA Academia program. C.V.-H. received a predoctoral grant from the Generalitat de Catalunya (2022 FI_B100108). M.Á.M. was supported by the Sara Borrell postdoctoral fellowship (CD21/00045-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)). M.F.d.l.P. was supported by a predoctoral grant from the Rovira i Virgili University and Diputació de Tarragona (2020-PMF-PIPF-8). All authors have no conflict of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Valle-Hita
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Albert Salas-Huetos
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Unitat de Medicina Preventiva, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental ANUT-DSM, Reus, Spain
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - María Fernández de la Puente
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Martínez
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Canudas
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Food Torribera Campus, University of Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety of the University of Barcelona, INSA-UB Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
| | - Antoni Palau-Galindo
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- ABS Reus V. Centre d’Assistència Primària Marià Fortuny, Salut Sant Joan de Reus—Baix Camp, Reus, Spain
| | - Cristina Mestres
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- ABS Reus V. Centre d’Assistència Primària Marià Fortuny, Salut Sant Joan de Reus—Baix Camp, Reus, Spain
| | - José María Manzanares
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental ANUT-DSM, Reus, Spain
| | - Michelle M Murphy
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Unitat de Medicina Preventiva, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental ANUT-DSM, Reus, Spain
| | - Montse Marquès
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Center of Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology—TecnATox, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain
| | - Jordi Salas-Salvadó
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nancy Babio
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental (ANUT-DSM), Reus, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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