Does the quality of semen affect men’s lifespan?
Recent research has raised interest in a possible link between the quality of semen and men’s lifespan. Semen quality and male infertility have been linked to mortality and overall health for a long time. The influence of health conditions that existed at the time the semen was evaluated hasn’t been fully examined.
Scientists conducted the largest-ever study to date, examining the relationship between mortality and semen quality. They also explored the influence of existing health conditions.
In the study, nearly 80,000 men were tracked over up to 50-years, 1965 to 2015. They visited a Copenhagen public laboratory for semen analysis due to issues with infertility. Findings revealed that there was a strong correlation between the quality of semen and life expectancy.
The men with motile (or’swimming’) sperm counts greater than 120 million lived two to three more years than the men with motile count between 0 to 5 million. The quality of semen was determined by the volume of semen, sperm count, and proportions between motile and normal sperm.
Researchers used Danish national registry data to track mortality rates over the period of follow-up. In the group of study participants, 8600 deaths were recorded, which represents 11%.
A subset of 59657 men, who had provided samples from 1987 to 2015, was also able to provide additional information, such as their educational status and previous medical diagnoses. Researchers adjusted their analyses to take into account these factors that could influence results.
Laerke Prriskorn, senior researcher and author of the report, explained its goals. This study was conducted to determine the extent of semen quality’s influence on a man’s life expectancy. Also, we wanted to know if pre-existing conditions could explain certain associations.
Men with higher semen quality can expect to live up to two or three years more than men with lower semen qualities. This correlation was not affected by any pre-existing conditions, or the socioeconomic standing of the men.
Researchers suggest that low semen quality could be an indication of underlying issues, which may affect fertility as well as overall health. This could lead to the early detection of problems with health during fertility tests, which are usually conducted on relatively young men.
Dr. Jorgensen stressed the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Understanding the relationship between semen and health is important. The study shows that even men who seem healthy but have poor semen qualities may be more susceptible to certain diseases in later life. The team plans to investigate whether the poor quality of semen is associated with earlier death from cancer and heart disease.
The study has some limitations. For example, there is a limited amount of data on the health status and behaviors before sampling semen. It was also difficult to distinguish between men who had no motile or sperm because of obstructions, and those with none.
The link between mobile phone use and the quality of semen has been studied.
Professor John Aitken, from The University of Newcastle in Australia, has praised this study. He also discussed the possible factors that could be linked to a shorter life expectancy. Genetic defects, compromised immunity systems, comorbidities and lifestyle choices are some of the factors. Aitken cited oxidative stresses as one of the key factors – an imbalance in free radicals versus antioxidants which can cause cells to be damaged and affect semen quality.
Aitken suggested that AAny factor that increases oxidative stresses could change the semen’s quality or mortality patterns. The link between maternal mortality and pregnancy complications could be explained by this concept. The researcher suggested that monitoring oxidative stresses and maintaining a balance redox status could be critical for high fertility as well as healthy aging.
The study offers valuable insights for future research on the relationship between men’s semen and health.
Journal Reference
- Laerke Priskorn, et. al. Semen quality, and longevity–a study on 78 284 men who were followed up for 50 years. Human Reproduction 2025. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaf023
- Robert John Aitken: Spermatozoa are harbingers to mortality. The curious relationship between the quality of semen and life expectancy. Human Reproduction (2025). DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaf027
