Poor quality sperm may be a sign of health problems that go beyond fertility issues, according to new study.

Key Takeaways

• Men with high-quality sperm had a nearly three-year longer life expectancy than men with low-quality sperm in a recent study.

• Sperm quality is a potential marker for disease or illness.

• Measures that improve overall health may improve sperm quality.

A large new study involving nearly 80,000 men has found that those with high-quality sperm (fast, strong “swimmers”) may live about three years longer than men with poor-quality sperm.^[1]

“For all types of measured semen parameters, we saw a dose-response association to mortality — the better the semen quality and quantity, the longer life expectancy,” says Laerke Priskorn, PhD, a coauthor of the study and an epidemiologist with the department of growth and reproduction at Copenhagen University Hospital in Rigshospitalet, Denmark.

“This association remained when we took into account the men’s educational level and their health status prior to semen quality assessment, which were possible factors that we thought might to some degree explain the observed association — but they did not,” says Dr. Priskorn.

Low-Quality Sperm May Be a ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’

Priskorn and collaborators examined data on 78,284 men in Copenhagen who were being evaluated for infertility and had their semen quality examined between 1965 and 2015. Semen quality was determined by measuring semen volume, sperm shape and concentration, and the proportion of sperm that were motile (capable of moving or swimming properly).

Over a follow-up of up to 50 years, 8,600 deaths occurred.

Analysis revealed that men with a total count of more than 120 million moving sperm had a 2.7-year longer life expectancy than men with a total count between 0 to 5 million.

The results, published in the journal Human Reproduction, showed that the higher-count group could expect to live to 80.3 years, compared with 77.6 years for men in the lower-count group.

The association between high quality sperm and longevity held true in a subgroup of nearly 60,000 men who provided information on any disease diagnoses they may have had prior to semen sampling.

The authors concluded that semen quality may be a universal biomarker of morbidity (having a disease) and mortality.

Joshua Bodie, MD, a urologist and an associate professor with the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, calls male infertility a “canary in the coal mine,” signaling potential health troubles.

“There are many health issues that can affect sperm count — genetic problems, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, cancers, pituitary gland issues, and congenital conditions,” says Dr. Bodie, who was not involved in the study. “Low or zero sperm count can also be sequelae [a consequence] from sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia.”

Limitations of Sperm to Assess Health

The study results align with previous research showing a link between poor-quality sperm and serious health issues, such as cancer development, according to John Amory, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine and an expert in male reproduction at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.^[2]

He cautions, however, that the study is observational and based on preexisting data, so the findings “need to be interpreted with caution.” Additionally, he warns against using sperm as a means to gauge the status of a man’s health.

“The predictive power of a sperm assessment is likely to be much less than other known measures, such as blood pressure, weight, fasting lipids [cholesterol levels], and blood sugar,” says Dr. Amory, who was not involved in the study.

While the study authors do not suggest that men routinely have their semen quality measured to assess general health status, they do urge men who have semen quality assessed due to fertility issues to consider potential health troubles related to low-quality sperm.

“Fertility workups, which most often occur at a young age, may provide a ‘window of opportunity’ for clinicians to identify and mitigate potential health risks that may otherwise go unnoticed until they manifest with clear symptoms,” says Priskorn.

What Impacts Sperm Quality?

In an accompanying article commenting on this research, John Aitken, PhD, a distinguished emeritus professor from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle in Australia, wrote that oxidative stress may be an influencing factor when it comes to sperm quality.^[3]

Oxidative stress is an imbalance in the body of unstable molecules called free radicals and antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress is known to be involved in the aging process, and could influence semen quality, according to Dr. Aitken.

To help reduce oxidative stress and improve sperm quality, Amory advises men to avoid tobacco, limit alcohol consumption, eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep.

“If sperm count is checked and low, take this as a warning to investigate your health and work with your physicians to try to improve your health as best as possible,” says Bodie.

Sources:

1. Priskorn L et al. Semen Quality and Lifespan: A Study of 78,284 Men Followed for up to 50 Years. Human Reproduction. March 5, 2025.
2. Hanson HA et al. Subfertility Increases Risk of Testicular Cancer: Evidence from Population-Based Semen Samples. Fertility and Sterility. February 1, 2017.
3. Aitken RJ. Spermatozoa as Harbingers of Mortality: The Curious Link Between Semen Quality and Life Expectancy. Human Reproduction. March 5, 2025.

Important Notice: This article was also published at www.everydayhealth.com by Don Rauf where all credits are due. Fact checked by Emily Kay Votruba

Disclaimer

The watching, interacting, and participation of any kind with anything on this page does not constitute or initiate a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Farrah™. None of the statements here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products of Dr. Farrah™ are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information being provided should only be considered for education and entertainment purposes only. If you feel that anything you see or hear may be of value to you on this page or on any other medium of any kind associated with, showing, or quoting anything relating to Dr. Farrah™ in any way at any time, you are encouraged to and agree to consult with a licensed healthcare professional in your area to discuss it. If you feel that you’re having a healthcare emergency, seek medical attention immediately. The views expressed here are simply either the views and opinions of Dr. Farrah™ or others appearing and are protected under the first amendment.

Dr. Farrah™ is a highly experienced Licensed Medical Doctor certified in evidence-based clinical nutrition, not some enthusiast, formulator, or medium promoting the wild and unrestrained use of nutrition products for health issues without clinical experience and scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit. Dr. Farrah™ has personally and keenly studied everything she recommends, and more importantly, she’s closely observed the reactions and results in a clinical setting countless times over the course of her career involving the treatment of over 150,000 patients.

Dr. Farrah™ promotes evidence-based natural approaches to health, which means integrating her individual scientific and clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise, I refer to the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice.

Dr. Farrah™ does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of any multimedia content provided. Dr. Farrah™ does not warrant the performance, effectiveness, or applicability of any sites listed, linked, or referenced to, in, or by any multimedia content.

To be clear, the multimedia content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any website, video, image, or media of any kind. Dr. Farrah™ hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.