TY - JOUR

T1 - Sleep duration and biomarkers of fecundity in young men

T2 - a cross-sectional study from a population-based cohort

AU - Gaml-Sørensen, Anne

AU - Frølich, Maria Kongerslev

AU - Brix, Nis

AU - Ernst, Andreas

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde

AU - Hougaard, Karin Sørig

AU - Tøttenborg, Sandra Søgaard

AU - Clemmensen, Pernille Jul

AU - Toft, Gunnar

AU - Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Background: Poor male fecundity is of concern and warrants the identification of potential modifiable risk factors. Short and long sleep duration might be risk factors for poor male fecundity although evidence in this research field is inconsistent. Objectives: To investigate the association between sleep duration and biomarkers of male fecundity in young men. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,055 young men from the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) cohort, Denmark, 2017–2019. Sleep duration was obtained from an online survey answered by the participants prior to the clinical visit, where semen and blood samples were obtained, and testis volume was self-assessed using an Orchidometer. Percentage differences in semen characteristics, testes volume, and reproductive hormone levels were analysed according to sleep duration using multivariable negative binomial regression models. Sleep duration was dichotomised (recommended (6–9 h/night) versus deviant sleep) and visualised continuously as restricted cubic spline plots. Results: Deviation from recommended sleep duration was associated with higher high DNA stainability (HDS) of 5% (95% CI: −1%; 13%), higher testosterone of 3% (95% CI: 0%; 7%) and higher free androgen index (FAI) of 6% (95% CI: 0%; 13%). The spline plots overall supported these results, suggesting u-shaped associations between sleep duration and HDS, testosterone and FAI, a linear association between sleep duration and semen volume and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and an inverse u-shaped association with normal morphology. Discussion: Information on sleep duration was obtained by self-report in broad categories with at least 3 h intervals. We were not able to investigate short or long sleep duration separately, since only few participants reported this. Conclusion: Sleep duration was associated with some biomarkers of fecundity in young men. Maintaining a recommended sleep duration may thus be beneficial for young men with regard to reproductive health.

AB - Background: Poor male fecundity is of concern and warrants the identification of potential modifiable risk factors. Short and long sleep duration might be risk factors for poor male fecundity although evidence in this research field is inconsistent. Objectives: To investigate the association between sleep duration and biomarkers of male fecundity in young men. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,055 young men from the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) cohort, Denmark, 2017–2019. Sleep duration was obtained from an online survey answered by the participants prior to the clinical visit, where semen and blood samples were obtained, and testis volume was self-assessed using an Orchidometer. Percentage differences in semen characteristics, testes volume, and reproductive hormone levels were analysed according to sleep duration using multivariable negative binomial regression models. Sleep duration was dichotomised (recommended (6–9 h/night) versus deviant sleep) and visualised continuously as restricted cubic spline plots. Results: Deviation from recommended sleep duration was associated with higher high DNA stainability (HDS) of 5% (95% CI: −1%; 13%), higher testosterone of 3% (95% CI: 0%; 7%) and higher free androgen index (FAI) of 6% (95% CI: 0%; 13%). The spline plots overall supported these results, suggesting u-shaped associations between sleep duration and HDS, testosterone and FAI, a linear association between sleep duration and semen volume and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and an inverse u-shaped association with normal morphology. Discussion: Information on sleep duration was obtained by self-report in broad categories with at least 3 h intervals. We were not able to investigate short or long sleep duration separately, since only few participants reported this. Conclusion: Sleep duration was associated with some biomarkers of fecundity in young men. Maintaining a recommended sleep duration may thus be beneficial for young men with regard to reproductive health.

KW - male infertility

KW - reproductive health

KW - reproductive hormones

KW - semen quality

KW - sleep

KW - sleep duration

KW - testes volume

U2 - 10.1111/andr.13560

DO - 10.1111/andr.13560

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37985426

AN - SCOPUS:85177223899

VL - 12

SP - 1125

EP - 1136

JO - Journal of Andrology

JF - Journal of Andrology

SN - 2047-2919

IS - 5

ER -