The researchers at the Stanford University have found that male having poor semen quality or infertility problem could possess signs of several other serious health issues not related to fertility.
For the study, the researchers involved more than 9,000 male participants having infertility problems over the period of 1994 to 2011.
The study group found that men with bad sperm motility, low sperm cell counts and other semen related problems were more likely to suffer from other serious health problems, including heart and vascular diseases like skin problems, high blood pressure and endocrine disorders.
Study lead author Michael Eisenberg said, “We found a lot of correlations between semen production and medical conditions that we never knew about.”
Eisenberg is male reproductive medicine and surgery director at Stanfords.
The study has supported several previous research works that found the link between the poor production of semen and an increased risk of cancer and early death for men.
According to Eisenberg, fertility is an outstanding marker for general health and therefore it is advisable that all men should get their semen production checked regardless of their semen and reproductive status.
The research also offers remarkable details about the link between fertility and male health. However, the researchers have failed to pinpoint why there is such a connection between the two.
Moreover, it is also not yet determined if the poor semen production is the cause of severe health problems or if the untreated health issues themselves lead to infertility.
The study was published in the Fertility and Sterility journal.