Lack of sleep may harm sperm

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51696269/ns/health-mens_health/

by Karen Row, nbcnews.com
April 28th 2013 8:38 AM

Not getting enough sleep may harm men’s sperm, a new study from Denmark says.

Men who slept poorly had lower sperm counts and fewer sperm that had formed correctly, compared with men who slept better.

"Given the facts that approximately 20 percent of all young men may have reduced semen quality, and that sleep disturbances are common and increasing in industrialized countries, the results of this study may have important public health implications," the researchers wrote in their article.
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The researchers accounted for factors that could affect the results, such as men's alcohol consumption, smoking and age.

There were no differences in hormone levels across the groups, the researchers said.

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However, lifestyle factors not accounted for in the study could explain both the poor sleep and lowered semen quality, they noted.