Diabetes 'may harm' male fertility
Men's sperm could be affected by diabetes
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Thursday, 03, May 2007 10:45
Diabetes may damage DNA in sperm and cause infertility, scientists have warned.
Researchers from Queen's University, Belfast (QUB), claim their study is the first to show a link between diabetes and the quality of sperm DNA.
They studied sperm from 27 diabetic men with an average age of 34 and non-diabetic men with an average age of 33.
The findings revealed that the DNA in the nuclei (the part containing genetic material) of the sperm cells had greater levels of fragmentation in diabetic men - 52 per cent in comparison to 32 per cent in non-diabetic men.
There were also more deletions of DNA in the energy-generating structures in the cells called mitochondria.
Dr Ishola Agbaje, lead author of the study, said that the findings "cause concern" as they "may have implications for fertility".
Explaining the significance of sperm DNA damage, Professor Sheena Lewis, scientific director of QUB's reproductive medicine research group, said: "From a clinical perspective this is important, particularly given the overwhelming evidence that sperm DNA damage impairs male fertility and reproductive health.
"Other studies have already shown that, while the female egg has a limited ability to repair damaged sperm DNA, fragmentation beyond this threshold may result in increased rates of embryonic failure and pregnancy loss. In the context of spontaneous conception, sperm DNA quality has been found to be poorer in couples with a history of miscarriages."
But she added that the study was "relatively small" and highlights only a "possible concern".
"Further studies need to be carried out in order to understand the precise nature of the diabetes-related damage, the causal mechanisms and the clinical significance. Given the global rise in the prevalence of diabetes, it is also vital to examine the reproductive outcomes of pregnancies fathered by diabetic men, and the prevalence of diabetes amongst men attending for infertility treatment," she concluded.
Commenting on the research, Matt Hunt, science information manager at the charity Diabetes UK, said: "Although a small study, these are novel findings and somewhat alarming.
"We know that impotence is a complication of diabetes but this is the first research to suggest DNA damage maybe occurring at a cellular level and that is cause for great concern. We would welcome further investigation in this area."