Obese boys often have reduced testicular volume, which increases the risk of adult infertility, a research group reports in the European Journal of Endocrinology.

The reasons for male infertility are often unclear: according to a German study of more than 20,000 men who involuntarily had children, no cause could be found in around 70 percent. At the same time, a trend towards a decrease in sperm count and quality has been observed in recent decades. At the same time, severe overweight (obesity) among children has increased worldwide. This gave Italian researchers the idea of taking a closer look: in 268 children and adolescents, they found that normal-weight boys had a 1.5 times larger testicular volume than overweight or obese ones.

Children and adolescents with normal insulin levels also had 1.5 to 2 times greater testicular volume than those with elevated insulin levels. Conversely, boys who were overweight, obese, had hyperinsulinemia, or had insulin resistance had lower testicular volume than their healthy peers.

In another study of young men aged 18 to 19, almost a quarter had testicles that were too small. The researchers assume that weight reduction in overweight and obese boys can prevent infertility.

Quelle: DOI 10.1093/ejendo/lvad033